More than Blood
by HermioneLunaPotter
Summary: Family is more than just blood. It's supporting each other through times of need. It's providing a shoulder to cry on. It's forgiving even the most unforgivable of acts. Written for the Connect the Weasleys Challenge by Morning Lilies. Will cover the 78 Next Generation Weasley relationships (including Teddy), each with a different prompt. #42 Louis/Lily: Underneath.
1. First Kiss

**_This is written for Morning Lilies' Connect the Weasleys challenge. _**

**_Teddy/Victoire_**

**_Prompt: First Kiss_**

* * *

_First Kiss_

_December 25, 2014_

She sat by the Christmas tree with her legs crossed as she scrawled away feverishly at a letter to Rachel. He had just looked at her! In fact, he had looked at her twelve times that night... not that she was counting...

Her heart was pounding in her chest. Victoire didn't think he even _noticed _her. She certainly noticed him, especially the way his eyes would crinkle when he smiled, or the way his hair sporadically changed colour and length depending on his mood. If she spared him a glance at that instant, she would see that adorable, goofy smile plastered on his face, and his hair glowing a bright pink. She wished she knew what it meant.

Some of her honey blonde hair fell into her eyes and she brushed it aside impatiently as she scanned over her letter. She pursed her lips as she noticed the alarming number of spelling mistakes and missed words; her hand couldn't keep up with her excited brain.

"Hey, Vic."

It took all of her strength not to jump out of her skin as he suddenly appeared beside her. Composing herself, she turned towards him and smiled.

"Hi, Teddy."

"Do you want to go outside?" he offered.

Victoire felt her face grow hot and nodded. "Sure," she replied, hoping that the cold air would calm her nerves.

The two of walked outside and sat down on the porch. Victoire was acutely aware of his body beside her. They sat in silence and she struggled with herself whether to reach for his hand. Teddy shifted uncomfortably next to her.

"Uh," he began, running his hands through his hair the way she liked. "Vic, we've, erm, known each other a while and... erm... I sorta..."

He was stuttering madly, a habit he succumbed to when he was nervous. Victoire gazed at him patiently, waiting for him to finish. But he never did. Instead, he quickly closed the distance between them and kissed her, taking her completely by surprise. So much so, that she almost didn't believe it was happening, and merely stood, rooted to the spot. Suddenly, he pulled away, and Victoire missed the feel of his lips against hers. Her chest was heaving and her heart hammered away at her ribcage that she thought it would burst out. Teddy closed his eyes, waiting for Merlin knew what, so she took this opportunity to grip each side of his face and crash her lips to his.

It was the most extraordinary feeling in the world. Victoire had never felt so alive in her life. Even though she had kissed Jarrod, it was nothing like kissing Teddy. She felt as though it was her very first kiss, full of the same nerves but fuelled by a deeper passion that she had never experienced with Jarrod. Everything seemed to fall into place, stars aligned and she felt more alive than ever before.

They both pulled back and she stared into his beautiful gold eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Teddy," she whispered with a smile, feeling her cheeks blush. It was the best Christmas she had ever had.

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**_A/N: Since I had already written Teddy and Victoire's first kiss in Tell Me Harry, I decided to write the scene in Victoire's point of view for this challenge. Please read and review :) xx_**


	2. Rules

_**Teddy/Dominique**_

_**Prompt: Rules**_

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_Rules_

_February 19, 2015_

The castle was eerily quiet on that Thursday night as Teddy Lupin patrolled the corridors. It gave him clarity and allowed his thoughts to flow freely through his mind without the interruptions of crowded classrooms and noisy students. It was a full moon that night, and it affected him as it always did. Though not a werewolf himself, the full moon brought him much discomfort and he would often head up to the Astronomy tower to think and while away the pain.

But as he reached the tower, the moon in full view from the open window, he noticed that he was not alone. A young girl in yellow pajamas sat gazing out into the night. Her copper hair blew about in the breeze and Teddy realised immediately who it was. With a smirk, he plopped himself beside her and leant back on his elbows.

"You know it's against school rules to be out of bed after hours, Dominique," he informed her.

She jumped and whipped her head around to glare at him. The way her blue eyes blazed reminded him of Victoire, a trait the two sisters had inherited from their mother.

"You're one to talk, Teddy Lupin," she retorted back, curtly.

He laughed and tapped his Head Boy badge that glinted on his robes. She groaned and put her head in her hands, obviously embarrassed.

"Oh," she muttered. "I forgot about that."

Teddy patted her on the back and grinned at her. "It's alright," he told her. Then, he bent lower to whisper in her ear. "Just don't let Vic catch you. She might not be Head Girl yet, but she'll still hex both of us for breaking the rules.

Dominique giggled, causing her nose to crinkle and her cropped hair to bounce around her shoulders.

"So, what are you doing up here?" he asked casually. Her face grew solemn and she stared out at the moon absently, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

"Just thinking," she replied softly. "Do you ever feel like there's more to life than just school?"

Her question took Teddy by surprise and his eyes widened. "Why do you ask?"

She turned to look at him and smiled weakly. "Nothing... it's just, everyone else seems to belong here. But I just don't _feel_ it."

"Feel what?"

"You know how Uncle Harry always told us how Hogwarts felt like his home?" Teddy nodded. "Well, it doesn't to me. It doesn't feel like home. How can anything feel like home when there's so many rules." She screwed up her face. "_Don't run through the corridors, Miss_ Weasley," she mimicked Professor Abbot's stern voice._ "Don't wander the grounds at night, Miss Weasley. Don't steal from the kitchens, Miss Weasley." _Dominique sighed deeply. "I don't think I belong here, Teddy."

He eyed the young girl with pity and put an arm around her shoulder. "You're only fourteen, Dom," he told her. "You've still got a few years ahead of you to find out where you belong."

She chewed on her lip and turned her head away. Teddy sighed and withdrew his arm from around her shoulders.

"What about you?" Dominique asked quietly. "Why are you up here?"

Teddy groaned and closed his eyes as a searing pain tore through his skull. Dominique reached out and gripped his hand firmly, giving it a tight squeeze.

"It hurts you, doesn't it? Just like it hurts Daddy."

"It's alright," he opened his eyes and smiled. "You get used to it after a while."

The bell in the clock tower chimed loudly, alerting the sleeping occupants that it was midnight. Dominique sighed and stood up, helping Teddy to his feet.

"I'd better get to bed," she said. "In case Professor Abbott decides to check on us. You'll be alright?" she added.

Teddy grinned. "Of course," he assured her. "Now, hurry up before I take points off Hufflepuff."

She poked her tongue out at him as she skipped down the stairs. Teddy smiled after her before returning his gaze once again to the moon. Once a month, ever since he was a first year, Teddy had disregarded the rules and snuck up to the astronomy tower. To him, the moon was the only connection he had to his father and, even though he felt a little silly, it comforted him.

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_**A/N: Just a little background for this story. Teddy, obviously, is in his 7th year and Head Boy. Dom is in her 4th year. She's always had a little trouble 'finding herself' and, worried for her, Bill and Fleur send her over to Paris to stay with Gabrielle over the summer. She ends up loving it there, and moves to Beauxbatons (this is all my head cannon, of course). Although it kills her family, Dominique feels much happier with her Aunt and truly 'finds' herself. This clip is the first sign of her questioning Hogwarts and its meaning to her.**_

_**In my head, I see Teddy and Dom as good friends. He's always there for her, and she for him. They have a great bond and although she will never say this, Dom is happy that Victoire ended up with Teddy, because she could think of no one else better for her.**_

_**On a side note; Professor Abbott is Hannah! In my head cannon, she becomes Charms Professor at Hogwarts and later, Head of Hufflepuff House and that's when her and Neville develop a relationship! :)**_

_**Sorry about the speech :D please read and review! xx**_


	3. Confused

_**Teddy/Louis**_

_**Prompt: Confused**_

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_Confused_

_August 20, 2019_

"I will never, _never, _understand girls!" Louis complained as he stormed into the house, looking venomous. He plopped himself down on the couch dramatically and sighed, staring at the ceiling. Someone snorted and he looked up to find Teddy leaning against the door, his face alight with amusement as he regarded the younger boy.

"You never will, I'm afraid," he said wisely. "They're a strange species, those girls."

Louis groaned and glanced up at him, looking helpless. "Great," he muttered dryly. "What're you doing here?"

Teddy laughed and went to join him on the couch. "Waiting for your sister. She's in the shower. What's the problem?"

With an exaggerated breath, Louis began. "It's Lucy's best friend, Charlotte," he complained. "I'm really into her, but she won't give me, or anyone else for that matter, the time of day. I've tried everything to impress her, flirting, being charming, giving her Valentines, but she won't take the bite. What more do I have to do to impress her? Every other girl would _die_ to go out with me, yet she can't stand the sight of me! I'm so confused."

He put his head in his hands and sighed deeply. Teddy chuckled, highly amused by Louis' hysterical display.

"Have you actually asked her out?" he asked.

Louis shook his head, sadly. "She won't date. Says she wants to 'focus on her studies'..." his voice trailed off. "What do you reckon I should do? Hogwarts starts back next week and after today's embarrassing episode..."

"What happened today?"

"I kind of... stalked her," he said sheepishly, his face turning red. "I remembered Luce telling me that Charlotte was staying with her over the summer and so I thought, if I 'coincidently' went to visit Lucy, then I'd get to talk to her. But Lucy kicked me out."

Teddy burst out into laughter. "I guess that plan didn't work. Why don't you just get to know her first? Become her friend. That's how it worked with Vic and me."

Louis rolled his eyes. "But you and Vic are different."

"No, we're not," he said. "I used to hate Victoire. She was whiny and spoilt and such a... _girl!_"

"I heard that, Teddy Lupin!" Victoire's voice floated downstairs and Teddy flashed an impish grin at Louis.

"But, once I got to know her, and she got to know the real me, we clicked. Maybe this girl avoids you because she thinks you're too arrogant."

"Me? Arrogant?" he gasped.

Teddy rolled his eyes. "I've seen how you are with girls. You're all sass and charm, maybe she's not into that. Maybe she wants someone down to earth."

Louis stuck out his bottom lip as he pondered Teddy's advice. Down to earth? That completely contradicted everything about him. He knew he was handsome; why else did girls fawn over him? But, perhaps Teddy was right. Charlotte certainly wasn't like other girls. It was one of the qualities that had attracted him the most.

Victoire floated down the stairs in a pale blue summer dress and kissed Teddy on the cheek as he reached her. "You ready, babe?" she asked.

Teddy smiled and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. "Certainly am." The couple headed towards the door and Louis stared after them in wonder. They were such a perfect match and he felt a pang of jealousy.

"Good luck with the girl, Lou," Teddy called over his shoulder. Louis grunted in response. How did Teddy Lupin; gawky, gangly Teddy end up with his sister, but _he_ couldn't get the one girl he wanted.

"Girls are confusing," he muttered darkly and slumped back onto the couch.

* * *

_**A/N: I believe that Teddy develops a good relationship with all of Victoire's siblings, and Louis thinks of him as an older brother. My Louis is arrogant and a massive flirt! He's got his father's charm and easy going attitude, plus it helps when you have two very good looking parents. But he's got a good heart deep down. Charlotte, who he has a thing for, ends up becoming his wife. Its almost a James/Lily relationship (she hates him because he's big headed, but once he eventually settles down, she realises how amazing he really is). Teddy, in my opinion, is just great at giving advice. I love him so much! :) Please read and review xx**_


	4. Mistake

_**Teddy/Lucy**_

_**Prompt: Mistake**_

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_Mistake_

_July 31 2018_

"Stop biting your nails," Audrey scolded her eldest daughter as they sat at the table. Lucy frowned, but placed her hands nervously in her lap. Her OWLs would be arriving today, and she was as nervous as anything. The family were over at the Burrow, celebrating Uncle Harry's birthday, but the only Ravenclaw in the family couldn't concentrate on the party. Her mind whizzed and whirled, recounting the little slip up she had made in her Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, where she hadn't produced a corporeal patronus. She grinded her teeth together and hastily glanced out the window in case she spotted an owl delivering her results.

Her cousin, Louis, who would also be receiving his OWLs that day, didn't seem to have a worry in the world. In fact, when she asked him if he was nervous, he said that he didn't care. _Didn't care?_ Lucy couldn't believe he would think such a horrid thought. Her OWLs were the most important part of her schooling. If she didn't pass... she shuddered to even think of it.

Cake had been served and her entire family were joining in the festivities. All except poor Lucy. She sat alone at the table, dreading the moment that owl would arrive with her letter. She was so caught up in her worries, that she didn't hear Teddy approach her.

"You look like you're going to be sick, Luce," he commented.

Lucy glanced at him, too anxious to take offense to his remark. "I failed," she wailed hopelessly, burying her head in her hands. "I made so many mistakes, I just know it!"

Teddy gulped at her reaction, unsure of how to comfort her. He awkwardly patted her back as she sniffed loudly.

"Don't be silly," he told her. "You won't have failed."

"You don't know that," she retorted thickly, lifting her head and fixing him with puffy, blue eyes. "I didn't produce a corporeal patronus – "

" – That's not a requirement – "

" – And I know I messed up my History of Magic exam – "

" – Lucy – "

"Oh! I've just made so many mistakes!"

Fed up with her hysterics, Teddy gripped her shoulder tightly and frowned at her. "Stop it, Lucy," he told her. "There's no point crying over your mistakes if you haven't got your results yet."

Lucy bit her lip, nodding slowly at his words. They made sense in her head, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she had failed. Teddy laughed at her.

"Come on, Luce, lighten up. Have a little fun. It's only your OWLs."

She gasped in horror. "_Only_ my OWLs!" she cried incredulously. He merely shrugged and patted her on the head.

"Relax," he told her. "Once you've gotten all Outstandings, then you'll realise I was right."

A few moments later, after Lucy refused to acknowledge Teddy's advice, the handsome, Hogwarts owl arrived with her letter. She opened it with shaking fingers; her throat dry and she refused to breathe. As she glanced over her score, her heart thrilled. Teddy was right, she _had_ received all Outstandings. And according to her marks, she hadn't made any mistakes at all. Holding her head proudly, she decided to join in with the celebration. Teddy caught her eye briefly and smirked at her, and she grinned back.

* * *

_**A/N: Oh, Teddy, you are so good at giving advice! It is one of your most endearing qualities. In my head cannon, Lucy is older than Molly and is the only Ravenclaw of the family. I imagine her to be very much like Percy; extremely studious and ambitions. She also is a little like Hermione in the way she stresses about her OWLs. This scene reminded me a lot of when the trio were getting their OWLs and Hermione was in hysterics about failing. **_

_**Teddy and Lucy's relationship isn't a very strong one. They know each other but don't interact a lot because they are very different. Teddy enjoys making fun of her, especially when she stresses about exams as she does every year. Lucy respects him because he was Prefect and Head Boy, just like her father, which is a very important achievement to her. **_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	5. Sorrow

**_Teddy/Molly_**

**_Prompt: Sorrow_**

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_Sorrow_

_July 14, 2060_

It had come as quite a shock to the entire Weasley family. Aunt Hermione had been too distraught to say her speech, so Hugo had taken the reins. The reason Uncle Ron's death had affected them the most, was because it had been so unexpected. He had been a perfectly happy, eighty-year-old man who suddenly died in his sleep. There was no sign of illness and according to the Healer who had visited the house; he had been as healthy as a hippogriff. It was just his _time_, she had said.

The funeral had been a most depressing one. Teddy had been to quite a few funerals in his life time, but none; not even his grandmother's, could compare to this. Over by the coffin, Aunt Hermione, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry were huddled together, all sobbing loudly as they mourned the death of their friend, brother and husband. Teddy sat down on the porch and stared at the ground, trying to take his mind off what had happened. Uncle Ron had been a great mate to Teddy; they often had gruelling chess matches, and once Teddy had been of age, Ron had take him to the Leaky Cauldron and taught him how to "drink like a man."

An indescribable sorrow overwhelmed him and he felt a sudden urge to be away from everyone, even Victoire.

He felt someone sit beside him and sighed. "Look, Vic, I don't want to talk right now," he began, but as he looked up, he realised it wasn't Victoire at all. It was Molly. Her face was streaked with tears and she gave him a weak smile and reached for his hand. The two of them sat in silence, simply grieving together. It felt good to have someone understand. Teddy and Molly had always gotten on well, better than him and Lucy, at least. She was kind and knew the right thing to do in any situation, which was why she made the perfect Healer. Teddy was grateful for her company.

Once the ceremony was over, Victoire approached him and smiled weakly. "Come on, dear. Let's go home."

Teddy let go of Molly's hand and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you," he told her, "for understanding."

Molly nodded and wished him and Victoire farewell, before going to find her husband.

"What did she do?" Victoire asked.

Teddy looked at her seriously. "Nothing," he replied. "That's why I thanked her."

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_**A/N: This was difficult to write, given the prompt, but I hoped I did it justice. It doesn't have a lot of Teddy and Molly moments, but it's got the general idea. Molly is a Hufflepuff, just like her mother and her cousin, Dominique, and ends up becoming a Healer. She is kind and cheery and all round lovely. Teddy's relationship with Molly and Lucy isn't as strong as with the Potters, Rose, Hugo, Victoire, Dominique or Louis, but they are still 'family' in every way but blood, and they watch out for each other. **_

_**Ages in this: Teddy (62), Molly (55), Victoire (61)**_

_**Please read and review my lovely readers! xx**_


	6. Hope

_**Teddy/Fred**_

_**Prompt: Hope**_

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_Hope_

_May 29, 2023_

"To Teddy!" James cried, holding his glass of Firewhiskey up high. "And your last night of Bachelorhood!"

The men cheered and crashed their drinks together as they saluted the groom-to-be. Teddy laughed and downed his glass as James slapped him on the back.

"How's it feel, knowing tonight's your last night of being free?"

Teddy shook his head at the younger man. "Marriage isn't a prison sentence, James," he told him. James rolled his eyes and guzzled his whiskey.

"Whatever, Lupin," he said drunkenly. "Don't come crying to me when Vic's asking you to pick out colours for the baby's room." He stumbled over to the bar to order another drink and Teddy sat down next to Fred, who was shaking his head at his best mate.

"He'll never settle down," he said, gesturing to James, who was now chatting up the pretty barmaid.

"Aw, let him be," Teddy said fondly. "He's only nineteen."

"He's jealous of you," Fred said as he took a swig of his whiskey. "He'll deny it, say he just wants a good shag and nothing else, but really, he wants a relationship like what you and Vic have."

"Or you and Emily," Teddy pointed out. "How's that going?"

Fred grinned slyly. "Great. Em's amazing, y'know? I don't think I could be with anyone else."

They were interrupted by James, howling with laughter at something the barmaid said, who was looking extremely embarrassed by his behaviour. Fred smirked at him.

"He's happy for you two; you and Vic. Gives him hope."

"Hope?" Teddy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, if a gawky, lanky git like you can land a girl, even James has got a chance."

Teddy punched him in the arm and the two of them burst out into laughter.

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_**A/N: Just a short one this time. Teddy and Fred's relationship is fairly casual. They get on well, but Fred is closer to James, because they are closer in age. Teddy treats Fred like he does James, as a younger brother. This is during Teddy's bachelor party. **_

_**Ages: Teddy (25), Fred (19), James (19).**_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	7. Hide

_**Teddy/Roxanne**_

_**Prompt: Hide**_

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_Hide_

_June 19, 2015_

Over the summer holidays, Teddy had been working in George's shop, helping him and Angelina out with shelving stock and serving customers. He didn't get paid as much as Annie did, but he certainly enjoyed himself and George would let him take home as much free stock as he wanted at the end of each day.

One particular afternoon, he had been sent out to the back room to retrieve a package order for a customer. Just as he was collecting the box, he heard a muffled snuffle. Curious, he went right to the back of the room, where, behind some shelves, sat Roxanne. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, and her body was shaking.

"Roxie?" Teddy approached her carefully and put down the heavy box. She lifted her head at his voice and her dark eyes widened as she recognised who it was. Hastily, she wiped her eyes and turned her head away from him. Teddy crouched in front of her and could see her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"What is it, Rox?" he asked gently. "Why're you hiding down here?"

Roxanne mumbled something unintelligible and Teddy frowned.

"What was that?"

This time, she faced him and sniffed loudly. "Freddie got his Hogwarts letter today."

Teddy smiled. "That's great!"

But Roxanne didn't share in his excitement. A few tears leaked out of her eyes and she shook her head, causing her many thin, dark braids to fly about.

"He's going to forget about me," she whimpered sadly. "He and James are going to go off to Hogwarts and he'll forget about me."

Teddy patted her arm. "Fred's not going to forget you," he assured her. "You're his little sister. He loves you."

"You think so?" Her eyes filled with a sudden hope and Teddy couldn't help but grin at the young girl.

"Course!" he cried. "Now, let's get out of this little hiding spot. Why don't you help me stack the shelves?"

Roxanne nodded and let him help her to her feet. The two of them spent the rest of the day packing the selves and by the end, Roxanne had lightened up and was truly happy for her older brother.

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_**A/N: Another quickie. It's really difficult thinking of scenarios where some of these characters would have their moments, because Teddy is 16 in this, and Roxanne is 7. But I hope I did it justice. Please read and review! xx**_


	8. Clear Skies

_**Teddy/Rose**_

_**Prompt: Clear Skies**_

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_Clear Skies_

It was a beautiful day in Godric's Hollow; the sky was the clearest blue and there was not a cloud to be seen. Teddy had been forced to babysit James, Albus and Lily as well as Rose and Hugo, while Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione were at work. Since it was such a lovely day, Teddy decided to get the children amused in a game of Quidditch. Everyone was outside on their brooms, all except one Rose Weasley. Stamping her foot down stubbornly, she had refused to play and instead, kept herself locked inside with her nose in a book.

"Come on, Rosie," Hugo begged her. "Please play Quidditch with us!"

Rose refused to look up from her book and replied with a shake of her head.

"But it's a lovely day! And we need one more player!" he cried. This time, she looked up to see her younger brother's large brown eyes gazing at her imploringly.

"Leave me alone, Hue," she said irritably and turned away from him. Hugo frowned and trudged outside.

With a smirk of victory, Rose crossed her legs and tucked some of her bushy, red hair behind her ears as she poured over her book.

"C'mon Rose, why are you being a stick in the mud?"

She flicked her blue eyes up to meet Teddy's and scowled at him. "I'm _not_ being a 'stick in the mud'," she protested angrily. "Unlike my brother and cousins, _I _am perfectly capable of entertaining myself."

Teddy raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, I'm sure that's the real reason."

"What are you talking about?" she huffed, turning back to her book.

He came closer to her, a wide, impish grin across his face. "I think, you don't want to play because you're afraid Al will beat you."

Rose gasped and glowered at him for making such a suggestion. "I'm not afraid of losing to _Al_," she cried indignantly. "I just don't want to hurt his feelings when I flog him."

Teddy waggled his eyebrows at her and smirked. "I don't believe you, Rose Weasley," he said. "I think you'll have to prove it!"

He was testing her, and Rose Weasley never backed down from a challenge. She hated being proved wrong. So, snapping her book with such ferocity, she stormed outside and took off into the air on her broom.

"Whoever can get to that tree fastest, is the winner!" Rose cried, eying Albus with disdain.

Teddy laughed at her and went out to join them.

* * *

_**A/N: I picture Rose as a cross between Ron and Hermione. She's stubborn and fiery and incredibly intelligent, but she also a good friend and loyal and has a wicked sense of humour. Rose likes playing Quidditch, however she's not as good as her cousins, (she is Hermione's daughter after all). Her brother, Hugo, is a much better flier, but Rose is determined and hates losing. Teddy has a great relationship with the Potters, Rose and Hugo, mainly because he's around them the most and thinks of them as his siblings. **_

_**Ages in this: Rose (10), Hugo (9), Teddy (18)**_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	9. Words

_**Teddy/Hugo**_

_**Prompt: Words**_

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_Words_

_January 17, 2012_

Hugo Weasley was not much of a talker. Unlike his older sister, who was loud, outspoken and dominant in her opinions, Hugo was more of a _listener_. Most people thought he was shy, but the truth was, he preferred to be a silent observer of the world. It gave him an insight into people's lives. He thought that everyone should take time to _listen_ more often, instead of always butting in with their perspective on matters.

From an early age, Hugo had displayed a certain _gift_ at being a thoughtful listener. Which was why, when Teddy had been a teenager, he had unloaded many of his burdens onto the young boy. Hugo would sit opposite him, his large, brown eyes wide with attentiveness, and simply listen, as Teddy complained about Jerome Flint, the Slytherin bully, or about his unrequited love for Victoire. Not once, did Hugo ever say anything, but he took in every word that Teddy said, and almost seemed to bear the burden with him.

Most people thought he was too young to understand. But Teddy was grateful to have an ear willing to hear his words and empathise with them, even if the ear belonged to a five-year-old boy.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry, this is really short. But it took me forever to figure out what I was going to write. I picture Hugo as a quite, introverted boy, unlike Rose who is outspoken and and extremely outgoing. He's good at listening and that's why Teddy often spilled all of his problems onto him, because he would listen without interrupting or offering advice. **_

_**Ages: Teddy (14), Hugo (5)**_

_**Please read and view my lovelies xx**_


	10. Trouble

**_Teddy/James_**

**_Prompt: Trouble_**

* * *

_Trouble_

_December 18, 2021_

"Teddy!"

He woke with a start, rubbing his eyes groggily as Victoire stirred beside him. The clock on the bedside table told him it was three in the morning. Teddy groaned. Why in Merlin's name was _he_ here at this frightful hour? He mumbled something to Victoire about staying in bed, as he stretched his long limbs and stumbled down to the front door.

"Teddy, open up, dammit!"

"M'comin'," he grumbled as he opened the door. There, standing before him, was James. His brown eyes were wide in panic and his messy hair dishevelled. The left side of his face was heavily bruised and his robes were torn.

"James?" Teddy blinked a few times, taking in his appearance. "What happened to you?"

James swallowed and threw a cautious glance behind him. "I'm in trouble, Ted," he whispered softly. "Big trouble."

Teddy quickly ushered him inside and offered him a seat on the couch. James took it and wrung his hands together, flicking his eyes around the room.

"What kind of trouble?" Teddy asked as he pulled up a chair next to his almost-brother. The teenager swallowed and cast his gaze to the floor.

"You have to promise not to tell Dad. You have to _swear_."

Teddy nodded and urged him to continue.

"I owe some... bad people... a lot of money..."

"James..." Teddy began, his brow furrowing in concern. "What did you do?"

With a heavy sigh, James met Teddy's eyes. "I was playing cards in Knockturn Alley, with a whole bunch of blokes. The last few times, it was just good fun. I'm pretty good at it, actually. But then..." he paused to clear his throat. "Tonight, I lost... _big_. Teddy, I don't think I can get the money."

His voice shook with fear and his hands were trembling against his knees. Teddy hated seeing him look so vulnerable.

"Did they do that to you?" he pointed to James' bruised cheek.

James nodded, ashamed. "I told them straight up that I didn't have that kind of money. That didn't sit too well with them. I Disapparated before they could do any real damage. But Ted, I can't go home. Dad'll kill me." The panic was clear in his voice.

Teddy sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated the situation. "You can stay here tonight, alright," he told him. "I'll make up some story to tell Harry and Vic'll heal your face. And we'll sort out the money issue. Vic and I have some savings for a new apartment, so hopefully that will be enough. Just go upstairs and get cleaned up, okay?"

James nodded seriously and went to go upstairs to the bathroom.

"And James?" He looked back over his shoulder. "Don't _ever_ get messed up in that stuff again. You could get killed."

"Don't worry," he muttered darkly as he retreated up the stairs. "I won't."

* * *

_**A/N: This is a bit darker than the others. I picture James as a kid who likes to take risks, but to the extreme. He often gets himself in bad situations, and goes to Teddy for help. Teddy, who is an awesome big brother figure, helps him stay out of trouble. **_

_**Ages: James (17), Teddy (23)**_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	11. Stumble

_**Teddy/Albus**_

_**Prompt: Stumble**_

* * *

_Stumble_

_January 15, 2008_

It was chaos at the Potter's. James had knocked over the entire pot of yellow paint that was being used to paint Lily's new room and was no rolling around in it, giggling madly. Lily was howling and throwing about her chubby fists as she lay next to her oldest brother, covered in yellow. Albus was crying in his cot, craving for some attention and poor Teddy was stuck looking after the lot of it.

He was only nine years old, and hadn't gotten a wand yet, so the only way to clean up the mess before Ginny got home was by hand, something that would be difficult with three screaming children to watch. As much as he loved the little tykes, they were certainly a handful.

The only way to start, would be to remove Lily and James from the paint, Teddy decided and he scooped them both up into his arms and sat them in the playpen. He then let little Al out of his cot and let him join his siblings, which stopped him from crying. James began pulling Lily's tiny pigtails, making her squeal, but Teddy let them be for a moment while he grabbed a towel and began wiping up the mess.

It was certainly hard work, and Teddy's ears hurt from Lily's screams. After a while, he couldn't take it anymore and rounded on the three youngsters. Just as he was about to scold James for annoying his sister, his eyes bulged. Albus was standing up shakily on his short, stubby legs and, very slowly, began to walk. Lily giggled and clapped her tiny hands together as Al stumbled forward. Teddy reached out to steady him and beamed as Al continued to walk for a little longer, before plopping back down on the floor. He blinked up at Teddy with wide, green eyes and he laughed. At least something good had happened that day.

* * *

_**A/N: Just so you know, this is the first time Albus walks, so it's a pretty big deal. I kind of feel sorry for Teddy, babysitting the little Potters would have been hard work, especially when they were so young. Albus is slow to to learn to walk, so that's why Teddy is so pleased when he finally does. **_

_**Ages: Teddy (9), James (4.. he just celebrated his 4th birthday on the 11th of January), Albus (19 months), Lily (3 months)**_

_**Please read and review xx**_


	12. Spider Web

_**Teddy/Lily**_

_**Prompt: Spider Web**_

* * *

_Spider Web_

_August 30, 2014_

"Come on, Teddy!" Lily shrilled as she skipped about the garden, her long red hair flying about behind her. "You'll never catch me at that pace!"

Teddy grinned and chased after her, reaching her in four long strides and tackling her around the waist. She squealed in delight as he lifted her upside down and held her by the ankles.

"Put me down!" she protested through bursts of laughter, thrashing her arms and legs around. Teddy laughed as he placed her on her feet, before she swatted him on the arm and scurried away from him.

"You're _it_," she cried.

The two of them weaved their way in and out of the garden and headed down towards the lake. As Lily passed between two trees, she screamed and stumbled backwards. Her hands were flying about her face wildly.

"What's wrong, Lil?" Teddy asked as he approached her. Lily's brown eyes were wide with panic as she pulled what looked like string out of her face.

"Sp – spider web," she spluttered fearfully, spitting out tufts of web and hair from her mouth. Teddy chuckled, earning him a fierce glare. "Don't just stand there!" she demanded. "Help me get it off!"

Sighing in amusement, Teddy reached into his pocket for his wand and quickly vanished the spider web from her tangled hair. Lily smiled in thanks and took a deep breath.

"Scared of spiders, eh Lily?" Teddy teased her lightly. "You're just like Uncle Ron."

Lily shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not scared of spiders," she replied indignantly. "I just don't like their webs. They're all sticky and get tangled in my hair."

Teddy rolled his eyes. "Sure," he drawled. Poking her tongue out at him, Lily sprinted away down the river bank.

"You're still it, Teddy Lupin. Just try to catch me!"

* * *

_**A/N: More light hearted fluff! This was such a random prompt, but I thought this was a cute little scenario. **_

_**Ages in this: Lily (7), Teddy (16).**_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	13. Fireworks

**_Victoire/Dominique_**

**_Prompt: Fireworks_**

* * *

_Fireworks_

_December 31, 2028_

They lit up the dark sky with flashes of gold, red and green. Below her little flat, children danced in the street, singing and chanting, "Bonne année!" Dominique admired at them fondly as she leant against the balcony. Fireworks were beautiful things. She recalled how Uncle George would set off dozens of them on May 2nd, to celebrate the end of the war and to mourn the death of Uncle Fred. She remembered how her sister would claim that he set them off for _her_ birthday and the two of them would lie on the grass, side by side, and gaze at the beautiful light show.

Victoire loved fireworks. Any time she saw them, her face would light up and her deep, blue eyes would glow with joy. She confessed to Dominique when they were girls, that she would love it if someone proposed to her using fireworks, but Dom had been too far away to give Teddy a heads up. A sad smile crept onto her lips as she thought of their wedding. She had been maid of honour, yet had been unable to attend the dress fittings and the rehearsal dinner, or even help pick out the bouquet. Although Victoire hadn't minded, Dominique felt as though she had betrayed her sister, and she would be guilty about it for the rest of her life.

A pair of hands encircled her waist and soft lips pressed against her neck.

"Quel est-il, mon amour?"

Dominique turned and smiled up at her lover, kissing his cheek softly. "Rien, cher. Je suis juste penser."

She snuggled back into Julien's arms and let him stroke her short, copper hair as she gazed out at the fireworks. Moving to France had certainly made her miss things, like the births of her nieces and nephews, but as she stood in her lover's arms, the glittering city of Paris lit up around her, she realised that she had never been so happy in her life.

* * *

_**A/N: Yay! I'm onto Victoire's prompts now. I know this is a little vague, but I wanted to do something a little further into the future. As I mentioned before, Dominque moves to France when she's 16 and lives with Gabrielle. She misses out on a lot of major events in her family's life. This is her reminiscing her childhood with Victoire.**_

_**Ages: Dom (27), Victoire (29)**_

_**Review pretty please! xx**_


	14. Help

_**Victoire/Louis**_

_**Prompt: Help**_

* * *

_Help_

_April 6, 2023_

"Lou?" Victoire's voice floated down from the bedroom as he entered the house. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," he called back, placing his travelling cloak on the rack.

"Could you come up here, please? I need your help."

Scratching his head and wondering what his sister could possibly want him to help her with, he grudgingly trudged upstairs to her bedroom. He had been staying with Victoire and Teddy for a few years, but he had been searching for a new apartment of his own with Charlotte all day, and his tired legs protested as he made his way up the stairs.

"What is it, Vic?" he asked as he pushed open the door. His mouth fell open as he noticed his sister. She was standing with her bare back facing him, an ivory dress covering her legs and half her torso and her honey-blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. He looked away awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable about seeing his older sister in such little clothing. But Victoire didn't seem to mind at all.

"I need you to do me up," she told him firmly.

Louis' eyes widened. "But, Vic..."

"Just do it, Louis. For Merlin's sake, it's not that hard!"

Swallowing hard, Louis crept forward and gently began tying the delicate strings of the corset, careful not to touch her skin. When he was finished, he turned away hurriedly, before Victoire gripped his arm firmly and made him sit down on the bed.

"You're not finished yet," she said, crossly. "I need you to tell me what you think of this dress."

Louis shook his head stubbornly. "Victoire, I'm your _brother_. Isn't this something you should ask Dominique?"

Victoire sighed impatiently. "Well, Dom isn't here, is she, so I guess you'll have to do. Now, tell me, what do you think of this dress?"

Louis admired her reluctantly, wishing he was anywhere but in his sister's bedroom, analysing a dress. He supposed it was pretty; it was strapless, the neck line a little too low for Louis' liking, and it was narrow at the waist before flaring just a little at the bottom. His cheeks burned furiously and he cast his eyes away hurriedly.

"It looks, er... nice," he told her.

She stomped her foot impatiently and fixed him with a cold glare. "Be serious, Louis! For once, don't think of me as your sister, and pretend you're Teddy. What would Teddy think of this dress?"

He smiled at her. Victoire had spent hours slaving away at making that dress, wanting Teddy to like it. Louis knew that Teddy would think she looked amazing no matter what she wore, but he knew Victoire well enough to know, that wouldn't reassure her. So, he stood up and gripped her shoulders firmly, looking down into her deep, blue eyes.

"He'll love it," he told her truthfully.

She bit her lip. "You think so?"

Louis nodded. "You look beautiful, Vic. He's a lucky guy."

Tears shone in her eyes and suddenly, she threw her arms around her little brother and hugged him tightly. Louis patted her back gently and laughed at her.

"Pull yourself together, Vic. It's just a dress."

She pulled back and swatted his arm playfully, before wiping her eyes. "Thanks, Lou," she told him thickly. "You're the best little brother any girl could have."

Louis grinned. "I know," he winked at her. "I'm the best."

* * *

_**A/N: I know this might seem a little awkward, but it's meant to feel that way. Just try and imagine how Louis would feel being asked whether his sister's wedding dress was good enough? Yeah, it could get pretty awkward. Speaking of awkward... please ignore my awkward rambling. Review instead! :) xx**_

_**Ages: Victoire (24), Louis (21).**_


	15. Diary

**_Victoire/Lucy_  
**

**_Prompt: Diary_**

* * *

_Diary_

_June 16, 2014_

Victoire couldn't sleep. She had been too busy crying to allow herself to slip into slumber and, instead, lay wide awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She could still picture his handsome face in her mind, his smile and his warm, brown eyes. Tears dripped silently down her cheeks as she envisioned him bent over a piece of parchment with a quill stuck between his teeth. His eyebrows would be furrowed as he thought of the right things to say, the _right_ way to break her heart.

It had been so sudden. There had been no warning signs, nothing at all to suggest that he wanted to break up with her. Perhaps it was another girl, she wondered, and instantly, an image of Jarrod, with his arm around Rachel popped into her mind. She shook her head, feeling ashamed. Rachel wouldn't do that to her, or to _Sam. _They were as smitten as anything. But, maybe it was another girl, a Ravenclaw? It was possible; Jarrod Davies was a very handsome guy and there were many girls who would die to go out with him.

More tears streamed down her face. Victoire had sworn he would be the one. Jarrod, so charming, so handsome, someone who seemed to like her just for being _her._ She was positive she would never find love again.

She sniffed and rolled over. Her sister was sound asleep in the bed beside her, and on the floor between them, Lucy and Molly were curled up under the sheets. Victoire envied them their slumber, and rose gently out of bed. Lifting up a loose floorboard, she pulled out a small book, with her name written neatly in pink ink on the cover. Tucking it under her arm, she tiptoed past the girls and headed down to the kitchen.

The house was completely quiet, something Victoire was grateful for. She lit her wand and placed it beside her on the table as she opened her diary. The first few entries were a lot messier, as she had been a lot younger. Maman had always told her to write her worries down, instead of keeping them bottled up, and at that moment, Victoire needed to vent. Flipping to a blank page, she dipped her quill into the ink and began scrawling away viciously. She wrote profanities, she cursed the day Jarrod Davies had even _thought_ about breaking up with her, she spilled her hearts onto the page. Once she was done, she wrote the word 'WHY' is large, capital letters and underlined it so many times, that it tore the page a little.

Tears were running in thick rivulets down her face and she didn't have the care or the desire to wipe them away. She let them fall onto the page in soft pats and leant her head against the wood of the table, sobbing loudly.

A soft padding of feet trotted down the stairs, and Victoire looked up to see Lucy, in her blue dressing gown and purple slippers. She frowned in concern as she saw Victoire.

"What are you doing up?" she asked curtly.

Victoire scowled at her cousin. "None of your business," she replied, snapping her diary shut and pulling it protectively into her lap.

"Aren't you a little _old_ to be writing in a diary?" Lucy remarked, not seeming to notice her cousin's distress.

"No," she bit back. "And who says I was writing in a diary, anyway?"

Lucy stepped forward and her blue eyes suddenly widened in concern. "You've been crying," she said, her disapproving look gone from her face entirely.

Victoire rubbed her eyes and sniffed. "No I haven't," she lied. "I just yawned."

Lucy rolled her eyes and sat down beside Victoire. "No, you were crying. You really should think twice before lying to a Ravenclaw."

She made a face, but kept a firm grip on her diary. "Well, aren't you a little know-it-all," she snapped. "Look, Lucy, I'm not in the mood for your rubbish. If you don't mind – "

"He broke up with you, didn't he?" She wasn't being smart, or rude. Her voice sounded almost empathetic and it surprised Victoire.

"How did you know?" she whispered softly.

Lucy shrugged. "Educated guess," she supplied. "Why else would you be down here, crying your eyes out and writing in a diary? It seemed a fairly logical speculation."

"Well, seeing as you seem to know _everything,_" Victoire retorted rudely. "I guess you'd be able to tell me _why_ he broke up with me?"

Biting her lip, Lucy bowed her head. "It's another girl. Deirdre MacFarlane, she's a Ravenclaw sixth year. I saw them snogging in the Common Room before the Evening Feast.

Victoire gaped at her cousin in horror. Why hadn't she _said_ anything? She could have spared her the horror, at least given her some sort of warning.

"And you thought you'd keep that piece of information a secret, did you?"

Lucy swallowed and shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I was just trying to do the right thing."

Victoire huffed and gritted her teeth together. So it was another girl. Of course, she should have suspected something. She felt Lucy's eyes on her and gave her a small smile.

"Sorry, Luce, it's not your fault. I just felt like blaming someone, and you were the first person I saw."

The younger girl shrugged. "It's alright. I'm sorry for being nosy. I shouldn't pry into your personal life. It was rude of me."

The two girls exchanged grateful smiles and Lucy suddenly grinned wickedly. "You know what you should do?"

"What?"

Lucy pointed at the diary. "You should burn it."

Victoire gazed down at the diary, the diary she had kept for so many years. Would she feel comfortable letting all her memories go up in flames? But so many of the diary entries had been about Jarrod, and she needed to forget about him. Turning to Lucy, she nodded firmly and drew her wand.

"_Incendio,_" she cried firmly, and the little book was engulfed in flames and disintegrated into a pile of ash on the desk. Lucy beamed at her and Victoire felt a surge of pride. She had done it; she was ready to move on.

* * *

_**A/N: This is pretty long, considering the length of my other chapters. Victoire and Lucy's relationship is a little strained. Lucy has a very 'know-it-all' feel about her and it often quite short and abrupt. She comes off as a little rude sometimes, but she does have her heart in the right place. This is actually on Albus' birthday. For those of you who have read Tell Me Harry, you would know that Teddy comforts Victoire on this day while they celebrate Al's birthday, after Jarrod Davies breaks up with her. Lucy and Molly are staying with their cousins for the night, as many of the cousins end up staying at each others' houses at some point in time. **_

_**Side note extras: Jarrod Davies is the son of Roger Davies and Penelope Clearwater. He has a sister, Annabelle Davies, who is a year younger than Lily. He and Victoire date for about a year, before he breaks up with her, as is shown in this snippet. It is after this that Teddy and Victoire get together. **_

_**Also... Lucy is really smart for her age and likes using really large words (just in case you thought she sounded too old to be a twelve year old).**_

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! xx**_

_**Ages: Victoire (15), Lucy (12)**_


	16. Be Prepared

_**Victoire/Molly**_

_**Prompt: Be Prepared**_

* * *

_Be Prepared_

_May 12, 2024_

"So? Am I pregnant?" Victoire asked her cousin nervously. She was lying on the hospital bed with her knees up and her hands clenched into fists. Unfortunately, Teddy had to work and couldn't get time off to be with her for the pregnancy scan, but Victoire was grateful that it was Molly giving her the examination, and not some stranger. Even though she was only a trainee and the supervisor was close by, it comforted her and kept her at ease.

Molly chewed on her lip and stuck her quill behind her ear, keeping some of her red hair out of her face. Victoire watched her earnestly. She and Teddy had been trying for a baby for almost a year, but so far, they had been unsuccessful. Everyone had given her their opinion on why she wasn't pregnant yet, even her own mother, but Victoire knew there had to be something wrong with her.

She had approached Molly, prepared for the worst to come out of her cousin's mouth. Molly would break it to her gently, in that sweet, caring way of hers, and Victoire would leave St Mungos for the last time, giving up on trying to have a baby. Teddy would be devastated; he might even divorce her, and then she would be left with nothing… no child, no husband and no dignity.

Molly clicked her tongue as she examined the results, making Victoire clench her fists. She wished that Molly would hurry up and tell her. She couldn't take the suspense any longer. Sensing her impatience, Molly looked up from her notes and beamed at her oldest cousin.

"Well, Vic," she began gently, and Victoire squeezed her eyes shut as she braced herself for the bad news.

"You should start preparing the nursery, because you're pregnant."

At first, Victoire almost didn't believe her cousin and thought she was playing a cruel joke on her. But then, she realised that Molly would never do such a thing. She opened her eyes to see Molly grinning at her proudly and felt tears rush into her eyes.

"You're serious?" she asked. "I'm really pregnant?"

Molly nodded and rushed to embrace her cousin. "Yes! Oh, congratulations, Victoire!"

Victoire laughed euphorically and clung to Molly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, Molly! I'm pregnant! I can't believe it! Wait until I tell, Teddy. He'll be ecstatic! Oh, _thank you_, Molly!"

The two girls sobbed happily in each other's arms as they celebrated the new step in Victoire's life. She would now have to prepare for motherhood, and she couldn't wait.

* * *

_**A/N: This was a different take on this prompt, but it was basically about Victoire getting ready to prepare for the new change in her life. As I said before, Molly becomes a Healer, so it's only natural that Victoire turns to her cousin when she's trying to get pregnant. I thought this was a cute little snippet of cousin love. Molly's a trainee Auror, but her supervisor allows her to tell Victoire the news, as they are cousins. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (25), Molly (18)**_

_**Please drop a little review before you leave :) xx**_


	17. Heartache

_**Victoire/Fred**_

_**Prompt: Heartache**_

* * *

_Heartache_

_September 3, 2008_

He had no idea, she thought miserably. She watched her young cousin rip open his presents excitedly, his face alight with joy. He was too young to understand. It was his birthday, after all, why should he notice? But she did. She saw how her uncle's eyes grew sad and distant as he watched his son. Even though she was only nine, she was smart enough to realise that her uncle was remembering a time long since passed. A time that included his twin brother; a time when the two of them were inseparable.

She had heard all the stories. Her father often reminisced about the 'troublesome twins' as he had dubbed them. They were the ultimate pranksters, partners in crime. And her uncle had never been the same since the war.

He had no idea. He didn't understand why he was named after his father's dead twin. He didn't understand the pain he caused his father whenever his name was called. He was too young. But Victoire did. She understood, and as she looked at her young cousin, so blissfully oblivious, she felt an ache in her heart.

Because he didn't understand.

But one day he would.

* * *

_**A/N: This was a little sad. Another short one, too. Poor little Freddie; I think it would be hard for him to accept that he was named after his father's dead twin... because George would think of him as Fred his brother, instead of Fred his son... just for a little while, anyway. Victoire is an extremely observant nine year old. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (9), Fred (5). **_

_**Reviews would be lovely. **_


	18. Study

_**Victoire/Roxanne**_

_**Prompt: Study**_

* * *

_Study_

_December 27, 2022_

_Who played an important part in the formation of the International Confederation of Wizards?_

Roxanne groaned and slumped her head against the desk. Why did she have to do this? She knew going to Rose was a bad idea. All she wanted was some help, not a bloody practice exam. Her OWLs were in a few months, anyway. But of course, _perfect_ Rose had written her an exam, _actually written one,_ and forced her to complete it and hand it back once she was done so it could be marked. Roxanne couldn't believe her cousin. Who wrote exam papers on their Christmas holidays?

She didn't understand why her OWLs were so important. Her father and his brother had only gotten three each, yet Roxanne knew that if she didn't get at least six Exceeds Expectations, her parents would be extremely disappointed in her. Being the youngest, she had a lot of pressure on her, as Fred had completely bombed all of his exams and was set for a life of running the joke shop. It frustrated her to no end how there were different expectations for her as there were for her older brother. It just wasn't _fair._

With a sigh, she pushed her paper to the side and began doodling on the wooden desk with her quill. Her mother would kill her for wrecking the furniture, but Roxanne didn't care. Her hand created smooth, elegant swirls in the wood, forming something of a flower and she smiled at her achievement. What she _really_ wanted to do was be an artist. The way she could express herself with just her quill and a spare bit of parchment gave her a thrill that nothing else did, not even _Quidditch_. But, of course, her parents had other ideas. She was to become the perfect little Quidditch star, like her mother had been, and once she was retired, would conform to a life of journalism.

Gritting her teeth, Roxanne ran a hand through her curly, black hair and sighed deeply. Studying certainly wasn't her forte. It only left her angry and bitter. She leant back in her chair and tapped her fingers along the tabletop, her ears perking up as she heard the bell ring below. Who would be visiting at this hour?

Her question was soon answered when Victoire appeared in the doorway, dressed in elegant, black robes, with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"What're you doing here?" Roxanne asked rudely, not caring about her attitude.

"I just finished work and decided to pop in to say hello." She frowned when she noticed the sketch on the study desk and approached her young cousin, dropping her bag to the floor. "You really shouldn't draw on the desk, you know" she scolded and removed the artwork with a flick of her wand. Roxanne scowled up at her darkly but Victoire shook her head. "I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble," she reasoned.

Roxanne sank lower into her seat and rested her feet against the desk, making Victoire cringe. "I don't care what mum says. I don't want to study anymore."

Victoire sighed and leaned over her cousin's shoulder to read the exam paper that Rose had written for her. Roxanne wished she would leave; the last thing she needed was Victoire; her perfect, former Head Girl cousin, to make her feel stupid.

"Are you having trouble?" Victoire asked kindly, placing a hand on Roxanne's shoulder. "I could give you a hand, if you'd like?"

"No, _thank you_," Roxanne sneered, bitterly, standing up and brushing past her cousin brusquely. "I'd rather you didn't."

Victoire stared after her in confusion as she watched Roxanne storm downstairs and slam the door behind her.

* * *

_**A/N: A bit of angst in this one. Roxanne's going through a rough time, which you will find out more about when I get to her prompts. And please don't think George and Angelina are horrible parents... they aren't! Just, Roxanne feels like she's under a lot of pressure, because Fred failed his OWLs. It doesn't help that a lot of her cousins are extremely smart (Lucy, Rose, Victoire). And what teenager doesn't hate their parents at one point in their life?**_

_**Also, at this stage, Victoire is working at Madam Malkin's. She ends up starting her own witches' clothing boutique :)**_

_**Ages: Roxanne (15), Victoire (23).**_

_**Please read and review**_


	19. Numb

_**Victoire/Rose**_

_**Prompt: Numb**_

* * *

_Numb_

_April 19, 2028_

The atmosphere was grim and completely silent as the entire Weasley family were huddled around the hospital bed. Mr Weasley lay underneath a dozen blankets, his head lolled to the side and his eyes closed. By the bed, Mrs Weasley held his hand, keeping her eyes firmly locked on his face as she silently wept.

Victoire shifted her youngest daughter, Isabelle, on her hip and huddled into Teddy's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his chin on her hair.

"Why is Grandpa sleeping?" asked little Violet as she clutched her father's hand. Her bright purple hair was pinned up in two pigtails, the tips of them turning a dark brown. Victoire gave her eldest a small smile, tears streaming down her face, and reached out to stroke her cheek.

"We don't know, Vi," she said sadly.

After a few minutes of silence, a Healer entered the room and ushered everyone out, leaving Mr Weasley in the care of his wife. The Weasley-Potter-Lupin clan crowded in the foyer, no one saying a word. Victoire felt numb; she almost couldn't believe that her beloved grandfather was critically ill. Isabelle sucked on her thumb as she sat on her mother's knee and blinked up at Victoire with large, blue eyes. She stroked her daughter's blonde hair gently and leant on Teddy's shoulder.

Suddenly, there was a large crash and a breathless Rose Weasley hurtled around the corner. Her bushy red hair was messy and her robes slightly dishevelled, due to the fact that she had sprinted quite a distance. Isabelle pointed at her and beamed.

"Auntie Rosie!" she squawked. Rose approached her and planted a soft kiss on her head before turning to Victoire.

"Is he okay?" she demanded.

Victoire shrugged her shoulders and sniffed. "We don't know. Granny's in there with him and a Healer. They haven't told us anything."

With a sigh, Rose slumped down next to her cousin and wrung her hands together in her lap. Her blue eyes kept darting back and forth across the room, and small beads of blood were forming on her bottom lip from the force of her biting. Victoire eyed her with concern and reached out to grip her hand.

"It's alright, Rose," she assured her, gently. "He'll be alright."

Rose turned to face Victoire, her eyes shining. "How do you know that?" she whispered. "How do you know that he's going to be alright?"

The two of them fell silent and Victoire stared at the ground. Rose's firm grip on her hand was making her fingers numb, but she ignored the pain hugged Isabelle close as the two cousins waited for the news of their grandfather.

Soon, the Healer appeared in the hall, her expression unreadable. Victoire snapped her head up expectantly, gritting her teeth to prepare her for the worst. Her entire body turned to ice and she emotionless; numb.

"Well," Rose snapped rudely at the Healer, rising from her seat. "Is he okay? Can we see him now?"

"Rose," Victoire warned, reaching out to grasp her shoulder.

The Healer smiled warmly. "He's going to be just fine. You may go and see him now."

The entire room breathed a sigh of relief. Rose caught Victoire's eye and the two of them exchanged a grateful smile. It was all going to be okay.

* * *

_**A/N: Another sad one :( sorry it took me so long to update! I've been so busy with uni lately that I haven't found the time to write. This prompt was another difficult one; I decided to take a more abstract approach. Mr Weasley falls terribly ill and it gives the whole family quite a scare. But he ends up being okay, which is great! **_

_**Another little side note: Victoire and Teddy get married and have two daughters; Violet Fleur (who is an metamorphamagus like her father) and Isabelle Nymphadora. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (28), Rose (22), Mr Weasley (78), Mrs Weasley (78), Violet (3), Isabelle (1), Teddy (30). **_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	20. Nostalgia

_**Victoire/Hugo**_

_**Prompt: Nostalgia**_

* * *

_Nostalgia_

_May 30, 2023_

They twirled not-so-elegantly around the dance floor. Though he was quite a lot taller than her, almost taller than Teddy, he was still extremely clumsy. She tried to not wince when he stepped on her feet; dancing just wasn't his strong point.

"Remember when we used to do this at Christmas?" he asked, his dark brown eyes light with happiness.

Victoire nodded and beamed. "You still used to stand on my feet, even when your head didn't reach my shoulders."

Hugo rolled his eyes at her and spun her around. "Look at us now," he remarked. "It's you who doesn't reach my shoulders."

Victoire laughed and grinned up at him as they danced. That had been many years ago. Now, she was twenty-four and married and he was sixteen and gangly. Time certainly had flown by. Victoire could remember when he was just a little boy, shy and reserved, often overshadowed by his louder, older sister. She'd always held a soft spot for Hugo; his curly hair, dimples and freckled cheeks gave him that adorable, _little boy_ look that he hadn't grown out of, even when he was six feet tall.

"You'll always be my baby cousin," she told him fondly, reaching up and pinching his cheek like she used to when she was younger. He frowned at her and swatted her hand away, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as one of Victoire's French cousins, Aurore, giggled at him from the other side of the dance floor.

"You know I hate it when you do that," he scolded her.

Victoire merely chuckled lightly. "Hue, just because Aurore and her sisters aren't _your_ cousins, they're still your family."

Hugo blushed even deeper, his ears turning bright red like his fathers' and he hastily looked away from the pretty, blonde girl.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered quietly.

Laughing, Victoire shook her head at him and the two of them continued to dance. "Look at you, blushing over girls," she cooed. "I remember when you thought that _I _had germs."

Hugo grinned at her. "That's because you did have germs. You had big, girl cousin germs."

"Well, they didn't keep Teddy away," she remarked, sparing a glance over to her new husband, who was dancing with Ginny. He met her eyes and grinned at her, the tips of his turquoise hair turning pink.

"I can't believe you're married. It makes me feel so _old!"_

Victoire scoffed at her cousin. "_You_ feel old? Hugo Weasley, you're only sixteen. I'm the one who should be feeling old."

Hugo waggled his eyebrows at her and grinned. "You'll always be old compared to me, Vic. You'd better get used to it."

She swatted him playfully on the shoulder. Since when had Hugo become so cheeky? He never used to speak much, now he was teasing her. She realised, sadly, that he was not a child anymore. And she wasn't a child either. They had both grown up. But, as she locked eyes with Teddy, she realised that she didn't mind growing up.

"Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" Hugo mused as the song came to an end. "You're married, soon you'll be having babies..."

"Hue!" she gasped. But she smiled anyway. "Yes, I suppose it is."

* * *

_**A/N: I enjoyed writing this one. It was cute and light-hearted, unlike my two previous chapters. If you hadn't guessed, this is during Victoire's wedding. She's dancing with Hugo (all of her cousins at Hogwarts got special compensation to attend the wedding) and reminiscing about her childhood with him. **_

_**Victoire's French cousins are Gabrielle's daughters: Aurore, Chloe and Giselle. They're all extremely pretty, just like their mother, and Hugo can't help himself but stare at them. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (24), Hugo (16)**_

_**Reviews would be lovely :) xx**_


	21. Afterlife

_**Victoire/James**_

_**Prompt: Afterlife**_

* * *

_Afterlife_

_October 14, 2016_

The Gryffindor Common Room was almost empty on that Friday night, except for one second year boy, sitting in front of the fire. His head rested on his hands as he watched the flames twist and snake about the wood, spitting sparks of golden embers into the air. As Victoire entered the room, with a satisfied grin on her face, she paused as she noticed him.

"James?"

He looked up at her, his expression strangely serious for such a light-hearted boy. "Oh, hi Victoire."

She sat down next to him and took her hair out of its ponytail, letting it cascade around her shoulders in elegant, honey blonde waves.

"What are you still doing up?" she asked him with a disapproving frown.

"I could ask you the same question, _Prefect_," he jibed with a mischievous smirk. Victoire smiled; there's the James Potter she knew.

"I was out with Teddy," she told him, a secretive smile pulling at her lips. "He came to visit me in Hogsmeade." James made a disgusted face and screwed up his nose.

"If you think I want to know about you two snogging..." he began, shaking his head. Victoire laughed at him and shoved him playfully.

"Come off it," she told him. "What were you think about? Seeing you with Freddie makes me worried for your health."

James rolled his eyes at her and then turned back to the fire. His face turned serious again and Victoire frowned as she watched him. It was so unusual to see him look so solemn, when she had become so used to seeing him with a permanent smirk.

"Have you ever thought about life after death?" he asked after a while, drawing his knees up and resting his chin on them. Victoire was taken a little by surprise. His question was so deep for an twelve year old.

"I guess I've never really thought about it," she admitted.

"Why are there ghosts?"

Victoire furrowed her eyebrows and stretched out her legs. "Well, Daddy always told me that people become ghosts if they're afraid of going _on_."

"But what _is_ that? Where do they go if they don't become a ghost? Do they stay in a hotel? Or maybe a place like Hogwarts, with dormitories and kitchens and house elves."

Victoire smiled at him. "I don't know, James. It could be anything."

He was silent again, frowning a little as he contemplated just exactly what it looked like; _it_ being the place where you went when you died.

"So, Nearly-Headless Nick... he was afraid of going to that place where dead people go?"

"I guess he was," Victoire told him, shrugging her shoulders.

"Why?"

Again, Victoire shrugged. "I don't know, James. Everyone is afraid of something. He must have been afraid of dying."

James scoffed, as though the idea was ridiculous. "Afraid of dying? Hah. _I'm_ not afraid of anything."

"Right," Victoire smirked, rolling her eyes. "So if I told Professor McGonagall that you snuck out to visit Hagrid last night, you wouldn't be afraid?"

His face paled and shot her an accusatory glare, almost challenging her to tell. "How did you know?" he demanded.

She laughed and ruffled his messy black hair. "I know everything, little cousin. Now, hop along to bed. It's too late to be up, thinking about death and horrid things like that."

James nodded and beamed at her. "Thanks, Vic," he said. "G'night."

She smiled after him. Little boys were so strange, sometimes. "Night, James."

* * *

_**A/N: This was another strange prompt, so hopefully I did it justice. Just a short one; James is having one of his rare, serious moments, thinking about the afterlife and what happens after you die. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (17), James (12). **_


	22. Wishing

_**Victoire/Albus**_

_**Prompt: Wishing**_

* * *

_Wishing_

_June 30, 2017_

"Won't you miss it?" Albus asked her as the two of them sat outside the Burrow. Victoire paused for a moment and gazed out into the horizon. The sky was a dusty orange; it was such a beautiful sight and Victoire wished Roxanne was there so that she could paint it.

"Of course, I'll miss it," Victoire replied, giving her young cousin a smile. "But I'm starting a new life now, Al. And that's exciting."

Albus frowned and stuck out his bottom lip. He was still so young, Victoire thought as she watched him.

"It's not going to be the same now," he retorted. "I'll never get to see you."

Victoire laughed and ruffled his short, black hair. "You didn't see me for about six months every year, when I was at school," she reminded him.

Albus shook his head. "That's different. At least I knew you were always coming back. Now... I don't know that. You're going to leave us... leave me."

His voice was soft and a little shaky. Victoire realised that he must be quite upset and pulled him into a hug.

"I'll never leave you, Al," she whispered, kissing his forehead. "You're still my favourite cousin."

Albus nodded against her chest and the two of them stared out into the horizon. "I wish you weren't moving out," he told her. "I wish you could stay here, with me."

"I'm not moving far," she assured him. "And you can come and visit me and Teddy whenever you like."

"I start Hogwarts soon. When am I going to see you?"

"Summer holidays. I'm sure Uncle Harry wouldn't mind. And Teddy would love to have you stay."

Still glum, Albus released his oldest cousin and slumped down on the porch. The sun had sunk even lower against the sky, and it began to grow dark. Victoire spared one last look at her cousin and sighed, wishing, for his sake, that they could stay like that, forever.

* * *

_**A/N: More cousin fluff. I am actually loving this challenge. It's allowing me to explore the characters in so much more detail :D**_

_**Albus and Victoire have a special bond; Al really admires her because she's beautiful and brave and funny, and she thinks he's an adorable little kid. Victoire's just graduated Hogwarts and is moving out of her home to go and live with Teddy in their own place in London. Al's not so happy about this. **_

_**Ages: Victoire (18), Albus (11)**_


	23. Return

_**Victoire/Lily**_

_**Prompt: Return**_

* * *

_Return_

_June 26, 2017_

Lily found her by accident. She hadn't meant to, she was just going to the bathroom. But as she passed what had once been her mother's bedroom, she heard someone crying. Curiously, she pushed open the door and saw Victoire slumped against the back wall, her head buried in her knees and her entire body shaking. Lily was taken aback at seeing her normally brave, strong cousin looking so vulnerable and approached her gently.

"Victoire," she began meekly, sitting beside her cousin. Victoire glanced up at her with red, puffy eyes and sniffed loudly, hastily wiping away the tears that poured down her cheeks.

"Lily, I was just…"

She didn't get to finish explaining what she was doing, as Lily hugged her tightly around the waist, tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh, Vic," she wailed. She knew exactly what was troubling her and couldn't think of any way other to comfort her. Dominique had been sent away to France to stay with her Aunt Gabrielle over the summer. It had been such a sudden departure, and most of the family didn't know why it had happened, except for Victoire and Louis.

"It's going to be okay, Vic," Lily told her as they pulled away, handing her cousin a handkerchief from her pocket.

Victoire shook her head and blew her nose noisily. "No it's not!" she sobbed. "It's all my fault, Lily. It's _my_ fault she's gone!"

Lily cocked her head to the side, a little confused. How could it possibly be Victoire's fault? If it was anyone's, it was Aunt Fleur's. _She_ was the one who had sent Dom away.

"No, it's not," Lily assured her sweetly, patting her arm. Victoire still seemed distraught and turned her body away from her youngest cousin.

"You don't understand, Lil," she said. "She _hates _me. She _hates_ what I made her do. _I _hate me."

"She can't hate you. She's your sister." Though still confused with the context of the conversation, she knew that Victoire was being absurd.

Victoire buried her face in her hands and wept. "I'm the worst sister ever," she muttered bitterly through her broken sobs. The two of them sat in silence for a while, except for Victoire's sobs, and Lily bit her lip as she watched her cousin. Something must have happened between Vic and Dom before she went away.

Suddenly, Victoire snapped her head up and made to leave. Lily followed her and pulled on her wrist.

"Wait, Vic, where are you going?"

She whirled around to face Lily. "To France," she said firmly, her blue eyes fierce. "I need to find Dom, to apologise..."

Lily shook her head. "You can't just go off to France," she informed her. "Auntie Fleur must have sent her away from a reason. You should let her be for a moment."

Victoire pondered her words for a moment, her fair eyebrows knitting together as she frowned.

"Alright," she said softly, nodding her head. "I'll apologise when she returns. I'll set things right."

And without another word, she headed downstairs, leaving Lily as confused as ever.

* * *

_**A/N: This is going to seem a little vague, but I will explain what happens in due course. This story follows on from the next chapter, which is Dominique and Louis's prompt. Everything will be uncovered then.**_

_**Reviews would be lovely :) xx**_

_**Ages: Victoire (18), Lily (9)**_


	24. Beautiful

_**Dominique/Louis**_

_**Prompt: Beautiful**_

* * *

_Beautiful_

_May 12, 2017_

After having raining days for the most part of two weeks, Louis took full advantage of the blistering sun. He and Joshua Thomas lay on their backs in the middle of the Transfiguration courtyard, their ties undone and their hands behind their heads as they sunned themselves.

"Who do you reckon's the prettiest girl in Hogwarts?" he mused as he stretched his long limbs. Josh smirked and turned to face his best mate.

"Daisy, of course."

Louis scoffed. He had already predicted that answer. Josh and Daisy Wood had been childhood friends before they came to Hogwarts, and even Louis had to admit, she had certainly gotten prettier over the last year.

"What about you?"

He opened his mouth to answer when he heard a familiar voice call his name. He sat up, to see Abigail Fawley hurtling towards him. As she approached him and bent a little to catch her breath, Louis noticed her expression of panic and he frowned in concern.

"Abi? What's wrong."

Her green eyes widened and he realised how distressed she looked. "Oh, Louis, you have to come quick. It's Dominique!"

Without any further explanation, she gripped his hand and pulled him after her. He looked over his shoulder and made an apologetic face at Josh, he seemed a little confused, and followed Abigail down the corridor towards the girl's bathroom. When Abi paused outside and gestured for him to enter, he put his foot down.

"Abi... this is the _girl's_ bathroom. I can't go in there!" he told her.

She bit her lip and wiped the tears that had leaked from her eyes. "No one's in there but her," she told him thickly. "I don't know what she was thinking, but I thought perhaps you could talk to her. She's..." he voice broke off and she began to sob. "She's not well, Louis."

He suddenly grew extremely concerned. What had Dominique done? Giving Abigail a reassuring smile, he swallowed and entered the bathroom. Nothing prepared him for what he saw.

The first thing he noticed was the blood. It was everywhere; bright red streaks of it on the mirror, over the sink, and pooling on the floor. The next thing his noticed was his sister, lying, he realised in utter horror, semi-conscious in her own blood. Her face was completely distorted by large, deep gashes and her hair was extremely thin and a strange, white colour. Louis was horrified and stayed rooted to the spot as he took it all in.

Dominique turned her head to face him and fixed him with watery, blue eyes. "Lou..." she muttered weakly. He rushed to her side and lifted her head to rest in his lap.

"Dom! What happened? Dom, are you alright?" he demanded fiercely, wiping the blood from her face with the hem of his robes. She gave him a watery grimace and blinked her eyes rapidly. He noticed how dry her mouth was and how pale her skin was underneath her scars.

"C'mon," he said shakily. "Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey."

He gingerly lifted her to her feet and slung her arm around his shoulder. She was taller than him, so it made it difficult, but they eventually made it to the Hospital Wing. The matron took one look at Dominique and hurriedly laid her down upon a cot. She flicked her eyes to Louis, her face a mask of concern.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked solemnly.

Louis recounted the story of how he had found her in the girl's bathroom, lying in a pool of her own blood with gashes all over her face. The matron listened attentively, her eyes trained on the poor girl. She reached out and stroked some of the strange, white hair, shaking her head miserably as she noted the wiry texture.

"She's tried to curse away her freckles," she informed him sadly. "And dye her hair too, by the look of it."

Louis sat beside his sister, grasping her hand and not taking his eyes off her face. "Why?" he asked, his voice deathly quiet.

Madam Pomfrey sighed and rolled up the sleeve of Dominique's shirt, revealing a series of lashes across her wrist. Louis gasped in horror at the sight of them. Some of the scars were white, but there were newer ones; thin, pink lines latticed along her fair skin. Louis gripped his sister's hand tighter, choking back the tears that formed in his eyes.

"Dom... what have you done?" he whispered.

"Do you know if Miss Weasley was depressed at any stage in her life?"

He shook his head. Dominique told him everything, but he hadn't known about her self-harming.

"Look after her, while I write a letter to her parents. I think your sister needs some help."

As Madam Pomfrey left the room, Louis stroked his sister's hair gently, letting his tears fall freely down his cheeks and spilling onto his robes. Dominique stirred and opened her eyes, giving him a weak smile.

"Thank you, Lou," she told him.

He couldn't bear to see her like that, and threw his arms around her neck, sobbing into her shoulder. "Oh, Dom! Why? Why did you do that?"

Dominique patted his back gently and ran her hands through his soft, blonde hair. "I wanted to be beautiful," she told him simply. "Like Victoire." The sound of her voice made his heart break. "I thought that, if I got rid of my freckles, and went blonde, then maybe, I would be beautiful like her."

Louis shook his head and burrowed into the crook of her neck. "You are beautiful, Dom," he told her earnestly. "Why would you want to look like Victoire, when you look like _you_?"

He pushed him off her and smiled at him. "She's beautiful, Lou. Everyone sees that. I'm plain."

"No you're not!" Louis retorted stubbornly. Why couldn't she see what he saw? His sister was beautiful and had such a pure heart. How could she possibly do that to herself? "You're just as beautiful as Vic, you just don't know it!"

Dominique reached out and stroked his cheek, collecting the tears that pooled under his chin. "Thank you, Lou," she said softly. "You are the best little brother in the world."

She drew him into her arms again and Louis curled into her, wanting to shield her from the horrible demons that had corrupted her mind.

"I don't want to lose you," he muttered. "I love you, Dom."

She kissed his forehead. "I love you too."

The two of them lay wrapped up in each other for a long time, until Bill and Fleur arrived and took their daughter home. As Louis walked back to the Common Room, his eyes scanned every girl that he saw, and he came to the same conclusion. Despite was Josh, or anyone else said, Louis knew that his sister, Dominique Weasley, was the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts.

* * *

_**A/N: This was probably the saddest thing I have ever written. I'm sorry that this is so sad and angsty. But it just fitted so perfectly with the prompt and what I had in mind for my head cannon. Dominique is my favourite next gen character, but she had a bit of a troubled adolescence. Basically, she feels as though she useless, and constantly compares herself to Victoire. She isn't as pretty as Victoire nor as smart, and becomes depressed, thinking that Victoire takes away everything that she wants. She begins to self-harm, and then tries to curse away her freckles and dye her hair blonde to look like her sister. And, obviously, it goes horribly wrong. Madam Pomfrey is able to heal her, but in the light, you can see the faint, white scars along her face and her wrists which never go away. **_

_**Bill and Fleur are concerned for her, so they send her over to France for the summer to stay with Gabrielle. It works and Dominique becomes a lot healthier. She loves France so much, that she ends up staying there and attending Beauxbatons. **_

_**The previous chapter is a follow on for this one, where Victoire is blaming herself for what Dominique did. She thinks it is her fault. But the two of them write to each other with Dom is in France, and mend their relationship, and Dom becomes Victoire's bridesmaid. **_

_**Louis and Dom have a cute relationship. His reaction to seeing his sister so hurt was so sad and adorable. **_

_**Sorry... that was a really long author's note... I just thought you should know all that. It could help explain some things. Please... no hate. This is just my imagination :) The next generation can't be perfect. It has to have it's own drama, since Voldie's not in the picture anymore :) **_

_**Ages: Dominique (15), Louis (13). Review pretty please :)**_


	25. Apple

_**Dominique/Lucy**_

_**Prompt: Apple**_

* * *

_Apple_

_September 10, 2011_

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked, sitting down on the porch and staring out at her cousin, who was practicing her ballet routine along the sand. Dominique's face was hard with concentration as she pirouetted clumsily and stumbled a little, trying her best to regain her footing. Lucy giggled softly and bit into the juicy green apple that she had been holding.

Dom glared at her and brushed her stubborn, copper locks out of her sweaty face. "I'd like to see _you_ try and do this," she snapped rudely.

Lucy merely shrugged. "Why would I want to do that anyway?" she asked pointedly, her mouth full of apple.

Ignoring her cousin, Dominique attempted her twirl again. This time, she was so off balance that she fell flat on her bottom. Sand kicked up into her eyes. With a growl, she pushed herself up and plopped herself next to Lucy, crossing her arms with a huff.

"Why can't I _get_ it?" she grumbled to herself. "Vic was so _good_ at it, but I'm hopeless."

Taking another bite of her apple, Lucy patted her cousin on the shoulder. "Don't give up," she told her. "Sometimes things will come to you when you least expect them." She pointed to her apple with a proud smile. "Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law's of motion when an apple fell on his head."

Dominique snorted. "Right," she scoffed. "Well, if an apple falls on _my_ head during my performance, it won't give me anything except a concussion." She stood up and ran out onto the sand, setting her jaw firmly and gritting her teeth. "C'mon Dom," she muttered to herself. "You can do this."

After a few more tries, she finally achieved a perfect pirouette and Lucy beamed at her proudly. Luck was for fools, she decided. The only way to achieve perfect was to practice.

* * *

_**A/N: Something a little more light hearted compared to my last chapter. This was difficult, as it was another difficult and strange prompt. And I **_**know_ that Lucy is referring to a Muggle, but I think she would actually appreciate his work, considering she admires intelligence extremely highly. Poor Dom, she's not perfect but she sure tries hard. _**

**_Ages: Dominique (10), Lucy (9)_**


	26. Unforseen

_**Dominique/Molly**_

_**Prompt: Unforseen**_

* * *

_Unforseen_

_Februray 18, 2030_

At first she couldn't believe what she was seeing. David had handed it to her a few moments ago, and yet she still hadn't opened it. Her brown eyes were fixated upon the sending address, written in the same, messy scrawl that Molly was familiar with but hadn't seen in many years. The suburb and street name was somewhere in France that she didn't recognise. But that name. The name that had haunted her family after _her_ sudden departure. _Dominique_.

Molly traced the edge of the envelope with her index finger, trying to ignore the sudden waves of emotion that were building inside her. She hadn't heard from Dominique since she was twelve. She was now twenty-five, and some thirteen years had passed since she had made contact with her cousin.

She felt a little nervous. What could Dominique possibly want after so many years of ignorance? Molly was no Gryffindor; something she had accepted a long time ago. She was proud of her Hufflepuff status. But her courage was lacking, and as she sat there, with the envelope resting in her hands, she struggled with herself whether to open the letter or not. Swallowing hard, she took a deep breath, slid her finger underneath the flap and pulled out the letter.

It was an invitation. What was even more shocking was that it was an invitation to a wedding. Dominique's wedding. Molly couldn't help the little gasp that had escaped her lips as she scanned the pretty, silver paper. Her cousin was marrying a Frenchman, Julien Lefebvre, and the wedding would be held in the summer. Immediately, Molly felt a little guilty. _Her own_ wedding would be soon, but she hadn't even _thought_ about Dominique. Yet, even after all this time, Dom had still thought of _her_; had still wanted _her_ at her wedding.

Molly smiled. That was just like Dom. She had such a pure heart, despite her troubled past, and even though she had barely kept in contact with anyone except Victoire and Louis, she still wanted her cousins to help celebrate her special day. A little tear formed in the corner of Molly's eye and she brushed it aside.

"David," she called out with a happy giggle.

"Yes, dear?"

"We better start saving up. We're going to a wedding in France!"

* * *

_**A/N: This is a little happier than some of my others. I'm finding it difficult to use the prompts with my Dominique head cannon, but I'm giving it my best shot. I liked writing this one. Dom marries a lot later than her other cousins, but after all the trouble she went through as a teenager, she's perfectly entitled to take her time. **_

_**Ages: Dominique (30), Molly (25). **_

_**Please read and review :) xx**_


	27. Punctual

_**Dominique/Louis**_

_**Prompt: Punctual**_

* * *

_Punctual_

_August 29, 2016_

Out of all of his cousins, Dominique could always be counted upon to arrive late to everything. Whether it is class, breakfast, or the Weasley brunch every Sunday, she was never on time, and as a result, her and her family were always running behind. And it was one particular morning on the summer holidays, where Fred and Roxanne had slept at Bill and Fleur's for the night, when Dom rushed downstairs in a huff. Her copper hair was a messy and stuck up at all angles, and her toothbrush was wedged between her teeth as she stormed about the kitchen in nothing but her pyjamas. Fred and Louis had been in the middle of a game of wizard's chess, and he froze when he saw his bedraggled cousin.

"I can't find it _anywhere!_" she complained as she dug through the pile of washing that lay in a haphazard heap on the couch. "I _bet_ Victoire stole it!"

Fred exchanged a confused glance at Louis, who shrugged his shoulders and continued to study the chessboard, his fingers hovering over his castle thoughtfully.

"What are you looking for, Dom?" Fred asked.

She rounded on him with a snarl and fixed him with a harsh glare. "My favourite sweater!" she snapped and buried her head in the laundry again. "I'm going to be so _late_. Oh, I am going to _kill_ Victoire!"

"Uh, why?"

"I'm going to Abi's party, Freddie. Oh, where _is_ it?"

Fred turned back to his game, where Louis was smirking triumphantly as he muttered, "check mate." Scowling, Fred scanned the board desperately for a solution, as Dominique stormed angrily upstairs.

"_Victoire!"_ she screeched and Louis chuckled.

"Why can't she wear another sweater?" Fred asked.

Louis scoffed as though the idea was ridiculous. "Because Jack Mumford will be there, and Dom has a _huge_ crush on him."

Fred nodded, as though this explained everything about Dom's strange behaviour. He supposed finding her sweater was important. She wouldn't want to be late if she was trying to impress Jack.

* * *

_**A/N: This basically explains Dom's **_**lack_ of punctuality, which is how I interpreted the prompt. She's fifteen in this, Fred is 13 and Louis is 14. Feel more than welcome to drop a review :) xx_**


	28. Broken Wings

_**Dominique/Roxanne**_

_**Prompt: Broken Wings**_

* * *

_Broken Wings_

_June 9, 2016_

Roxanne had never seen her cry before. Of all her cousins, she looked up to Dominique the most. The Hufflepuff was tough, a hard worker and never gave up on anything and to young, nine-year-old Roxanne, she was the strongest person in the world. Secretly, she thought that Dom belonged in Gryffindor with her sister, but Hufflepuff strangely suited her.

So, it came as quite a shock when she found her older cousin sobbing quietly underneath a tree. It was Roxanne's birthday, and most of the family were celebrating. Yet Roxanne, noticing the absence of her favourite cousin, had gone looking for her while the rest of them were oblivious. Not many people noticed Dom, which made Roxanne sad. She thought Dom was the best.

Dom looked up as Roxanne approached and brushed her tears from her eyes, giving her cousin a weak smile.

"Hey, little bird. Happy birthday."

Roxanne frowned and sat down beside her. "Why are you crying, Dom?" she demanded. "It's my birthday. I forbid you to cry on my birthday."

Dominique laughed and ruffled her cousin's short, black curls. "Sorry, little bird," she smirked. "I'll try to contain it, just for you."

As much as Roxanne appreciated that, she still felt concerned for her. Dominique never cried. Something must have been seriously wrong.

"You didn't answer my question," she retorted, petulantly. "Why are you crying."

Dom looked away briefly, her blue eyes staring blankly out into the distance. A lock of her copper hair escaped her green headband and planted itself between her lips. She picked it out irritably and heaved a sigh, before reaching behind her back and pulling out a small, square box.

"I almost forgot to give you this," she said fondly, a small smile creeping onto her face.

Roxanne took it in surprise. "But, I've already gotten my present from your family," she replied.

"I know," Dom nodded. "But this is from me."

With nimble fingers, Roxanne pried loose the ribbon that was wrapped around the box and slowly opened the lid. Her dark eyes widened and she gasped at was she saw. Sitting on a plush velvet cushion, was a tiny glass figurine. She picked it up and beamed. It was a little swallow, its tail poised in the air and its wings tucked against the side. She caressed its tiny head softly before turning to Dom and beaming brightly from ear to ear.

"It's so pretty, Dom."

Dominique grinned. "I know," she smirked. "I picked it out myself and everything."

Roxanne launched herself at her cousin and hugged her tightly. Dom laughed and hugged her back, her hands stroking the soft, black ringlets. When they pulled back, however, her face was solemn and she stroked her cousin's cheek gently.

"Don't let them put you in a cage, little bird," she said sadly. "They'll try all their life, but you just spread your wings and fly away, you understand?"

Roxanne nodded in confusion, not quite understanding what Dom was saying. What she didn't realise, was that Dom's wings had been broken long ago, and she was unable to fly away from her troubles. Soon, Roxanne would come to realise just how far her favourite cousin had fallen.

* * *

_**A/N: Another little sad one. Dominique's prompts tend to center around her depression, because that is an essential part of her life. In my head, Dominique and Roxanne's relationship is very strong. They have a lot of similarities - both of them feel as though they are under all this pressure to be someone that they're not. Even though their age difference is large, they have this amazing, almost sisterly bond. **_

_**Dom calls Roxanne 'little bird', because her personality and the way she flitters about reminds her of a bird. **_

_**Ages: Dominique (15), Roxanne (9)**_

_**Please read and review my lovelies :) xx**_


	29. Heartbeat

_**Dominique/Rose**_

_**Prompt: Heartbeat**_

* * *

_Heartbeat_

_May 15, 2017_

White. Everything was white. It was almost too white that it hurt her retinas and she instantly shut her eyes again. The darkness of her eyelids was comforting; she was familiar with this. The light was far too harsh for her delicate eyes.

Voices. She could distinctively hear voices. They were a little muffled, but she could make out her father's deep baritone, her mother's throaty accent, her sister's high pitched squeals. More and more voices became apparent. A stern, slightly clinical voice that had to be Aunt Hermione's. The concerned, soothing tones of Uncle Harry. She wondered just how many people there actually were in the room, for there were so many voices she couldn't determine all of them.

Suddenly, she felt the warmth of a small hand wrap around her own. Fingers tightened around her wrist gently, and she felt the heaviness of a weight on the right side of her bed. Someone curled up beside her, and she knew immediately who it was from the texture of the soft, bushy hair. It was Rose.

"Oh, Dom," she whispered, her voice clearly thick with tears. The girl wrapped her arms around her cousin's body and pressed her head to her chest, listening to the steady beating of Dominique's heart. Dom have her cousin's hand a gently squeeze; a silent sign of contentedness. To the rest of the occupants of the tiny, hospital ward, many would think that Dominique was asleep. But she was very much awake; Rose could feel the blood pumping through her veins and her steady heartbeat.

And the two of them lay there, wrapped around each other, as Rose tried to keep her cousin safe from the demons that haunted her.

* * *

_**A/N: A follow on from chapter 24. Dominique is in hospital and her family come and visit her. a sad little cousin moment. **_

_**Ages: Dominque (16), Rose (11)**_

_**Please read and review :) xx**_


	30. Daybreak

_**Dominique/Hugo**_

_**Prompt: Daybreak**_

* * *

_Daybreak_

_April 5, 2014_

"Hah!" cried Hugo triumphantly, his cheeks dimpling as he grinned impishly across at his cousin. Dominique scowled as she swept the crumbled remains of her bishop to the side of the table. It was positively embarrassing that she was losing to a seven-year-old in a game of wizard's chess. But her little cousin, the second youngest of the family, was simply thrashing her, and Dom wasn't taking the loss lightly.

"I wanted you to do that," she retorted back. "It's all part of my strategy." She was lying through her teeth, and Hugo had to know that, but she didn't care. She had to protect her dignity somehow.

He didn't say anything, for Hugo was a quiet boy and didn't speak much, but she distinctly saw him roll his eyes when he thought she wasn't looking. Fuelled by a sudden determination, Dominique scanned the board hungrily, searching for some way to beat him. His father had taught him well, but he was still seven and she was thirteen. The six year age difference had to count for something.

"YES!" she cried out and threw her fists up in the air in celebration. "Take that, Hue!"

The boy merely smiled as he removed his pile of crumbs that had been his knight. Then, as though he was doing something as simple as writing his name, he ordered his queen to the other end of the board, where she stood facing Dominique's king. Dom's face paled as Hugo sat back with a victorious smirk on his face.

"Check mate," he announced softly. The sword that her king was holding dropped unceremoniously to the floor and Dominique frowned in disappointment.

"Merlin," she cursed. "I didn't see that coming. Right, that's it. We're playing again."

Hugo pleaded with her, protesting that it was past his bedtime and that his mother would rouse on him for being up late, but Dominique ignored him. She was going to win no matter what Aunt Hermione said. Setting her jaw, she flicked her wand and the pieces rearranged themselves into their starting positions.

"I'm not going to go easy on you any more, Hugo Weasley," she told him. "This time, I'm playing hard."

Again, Hugo said nothing and moved his pawn forward two spaces.

The two of them continued playing well into the night, until daybreak.

* * *

_**A/N: Something a little lighthearted to compensate for all the angst I've been throwing at you lately. This takes place during the Easter break, where Dom is babysitting Rose and Hugo.**_

_**Ages: Dominique (13), Hugo (7)**_

_**Reviews would be marvelous xx**_


	31. Happy Birthday

**_Dominique/James_**

**_Prompt: Happy Birthday_**

* * *

_Happy Birthday_

_February 12, 2015_

The end was in sight. Dominique tensed in anticipation as she soared towards the goalposts, the Quaffle tucked securely under her arm. There was no one in front of her; she had a clear path ahead, and surged forward with a burst of speed. She had to be no more than a few yards from the centre goal. This would be easy.

She heard someone call out her name, and her attention shifted over to where a group of Gryffindors were standing. Victoire stood out among them, cheering heartily, with Louis, James and Fred by her side. Dominique grinned at her supporters and drew her arm back, ready to shoot. Just as she was mid-shot, she felt a searing pain tear through her skull. All she could hear was a loud ringing in her ears. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she vaguely felt herself plummet before she felt nothing at all.

xxx

"Dom? Dom, can you hear me?"

Very slowly, Dominique opened her eyes at the worried voice. After a few moments, she focussed in on the jet black hair and brown eyes of her cousin, James. He was perched on the end of her bed, his bushy eyebrows narrowed in concern. He breathed a sigh of relief and flashed her a smirk.

"Oh, Merlin. It's about time!" he told her. "You had us worried sick! Especially Vic – you should've heard it – she was giving Madam Patil mouthful!"

Dominique couldn't help but smile at him and tried to sit up, before recoiling at the pain in her head.

"Bloody hell," she muttered darkly.

"Are you alright?" James asked, scooting forward. "That was some hit you took there. Lou went and cursed the thug that hit that bludger at you – he got three weeks detention but it was worth it. The guy's over there next to you."

"Ha," Dom laughed softly. "That sounds like Louis."

James grinned before his face turned surprisingly solemn and he reached out to take her hand. "You sure you're alright though? It was pretty scary, seeing you fall off your broom like that."

Dom nodded and held back her grimace for his sake. "I'm fine, James. Really. I hardly remember it, to be honest. Where's Vic and the others?"

"Vic had to do her rounds and Lou's in detention. Oh!" he said suddenly and reached behind him to retrieve a dozen parcels. "I almost forgot! Happy Birthday!"

She beamed as he placed the presents around her and began opening them. "Thanks, James," she said with a laugh. "What a great way to spend my birthday."

The first parcel was from Granny; a whole box full of homemade fudge and a pair of woollen mittens, with her name embroidered on the wrist. The next was very neatly wrapped and it didn't surprise her at all that it was from Victoire. It was a new dragon-hide satchel, with purple flowers stamped into the thick material.

"Let me guess, this is from you and Freddie?" she asked, raising her eyebrow as she examined a square wrapped in a week's old _Daily Prophet._

"How'd you guess?" James asked, with a pout. "I thought we did a good job."

"Only you two would wrap a present in a newspaper," she smirked fondly. When she opened it, her smiled widened. It was a box of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs.

"Wow! I've always wanted to set these off!" she cried. She remembered how every year, on Victoire's birthday, Uncle George would set off the fireworks to honour the death of his brother. She and her sister would love to sit out under the stars and watch them. It was one of their favourite things to do together.

"We wanted to set them off tonight," James told her. "But since you've landed yourself in hospital, I'll guess we'll have to wait."

Dom shook her head at him. "But, James… it – we wouldn't – we'd get in trouble."

James merely grinned. "Not if we have the Head Boy on our side."

She cackled with laughter and pulled James into a crushing hug, making him squirm in protest.

"Dom – c'mon, you're crushing me!" he complained. She ignored him and ruffled his hair.

"Oh, shut up. It's my birthday!"

* * *

_**A/N: More happy Dom :) She's a chaser for the Hufflepuff team. Ages: Dom (14), James (11).**_

_**Please review lovely readers :) xx**_


	32. Protection

_**Dominique/Albus**_

_**Prompt: Protection**_

* * *

_Protection_

_August 17, 2030_

Albus Potter couldn't help but smile as he watched her glide down the aisle. You could hardly notice the white scarring on her face due to her euphoric smile. Her blue eyes were bright as she fixed them on her groom waiting for her. He had never seen her look so happy before, and felt a surge of pride.

Dominique had always been a bit of a worry. As a young boy, he knew there was something going on, where the other's just dismissed her as being 'moody'. It was more that than. For years, he had watched her slip by unnoticed under Victoire's shadow and he had felt a strange urge to protect her. It was silly, really. He was so much younger than her; how could he protect her from something as indescribable and enigmatic as her own mind?

Ever since that terrible day, the entire family had tried to protect her – keep her safe. They thought that by removing her from her family, she would feel more alive. And, as he watched her flowing with happiness, he realised that they had been right.

Uncle Bill's hand clutched her arm protectively, as though he was hesitant about letting his daughter marry the French stranger at the end of the aisle. But Albus was happy for her. She didn't need his, or anyone else's protection anymore. She had finally found her niche.

* * *

_**A/N: Another little short one. Sorry, I just found this prompt a little difficult with the characters. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the word 'protection' was; "Didn't you use protection?" "I swear I cast the charm!"... But with these two characters, I couldn't think of a situation where that would ever happen, so I decided to go with this instead. **_

_**Forgive my rambling... it's late at night and I'm exhausted (ha ha ha)... Please send me some reviews :) xx**_

_**Ages: Dominique (30), Albus (24). **_


	33. Lies

_**Dominique/Lily**_

_**Prompt: Lies**_

* * *

_Lies_

_February 28, 2013_

It was exceptionally lonely at the Burrow that day. Bill and Fleur had decided to visit Granny and Grandpa and since Victoire and Teddy were at Hogwarts, and Louis was off playing with James, so Dominique was left by herself. She decided to spend the day outside, annoying the garden gnomes and humming to herself. She was used to being by herself on days like this, especially since school had started back after the Christmas holidays.

Suddenly, she heard a shriek of laughter and turned around to see a very happy, very dirty, Lily Potter sprinting up the hill. She was covered head to toe in a thick layer of mud and her ginger hair was plastered messily across her face. She froze when she saw Dominique and her wide grin faltered.

"Where have you been?" Dominique asked with a smirk.

Lily put her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels. "Nowhere," she drawled, rolling her eyes to the sky. Dominique snorted.

"Rubbish. Don't lie to me, Lils," she winked. "You were swimming in the lake again, weren't you?"

Her eyes grew wide and she nodded hesitantly, biting her lip. "It's Lorcan and Lysander's birthday, today," she explained in a nervous squeak. "We were playing hide and seek. I hid in the river."

Dominique chuckled and shook her head at her youngest cousin. "Oh, Lily. You're lucky I found you, and not Auntie Ginny."

"No!" she screamed in a whisper, shaking her head furiously. "Please Dommie, don't tell Mummy. I got in so much trouble last time."

Dom held out her little finger and locked it with Lily's. "I pinky-swear I won't tell. But she's going to find out anyway, isn't she? I mean, you're all covered in mud, Lily."

Lily frowned as she tried to think of a solution. Suddenly, Ginny poked her head out of the window.

"Dominique, darling. Have you seen, Lily? She was meant to be back from Luna's an hour ago."

Lily froze and Dom quickly told her to hide behind a bush.

"No, Auntie Ginny," she lied. "I haven't seen her at all."

"Okay, thank you. I must call around to Luna's later." She withdrew her head and Lily crept out from behind a bush. She eyed Dominique in awe and rushed at her, enveloping her in a wet, muddy hug.

"Thank you, Dom," she cried in delight.

Dominique shrugged nonchalantly. "Off you go, kiddo. You don't want your mum to see you, do you?"

Lily shook her head, splattering Dom with flecks of mud from the end of her hair and skipped back down the hill towards the lake. Dominique smiled as she watched her cousin retreat, before she realised that she was now covered in mud. Groaning a little, she headed back inside and up to the bathroom. Ginny noticed her appearance and stopped her.

"What happened to you, Dominique?' she asked, eying her muddy clothes suspiciously.

Dom shrugged. "Garden gnome," she lied. Without pressing the matter further, Ginny turned back to talk to Fleur and Dominique smirked to herself. She really needed to teach Lily how to lie properly.

* * *

_**A/N: The last of Dominique's prompts. Something a little fluffy for you. Ages: Dom (11), Lily (5)**_

_**Please read and review :) xx**_


	34. Insanity

**Louis/Lucy**

**Prompt: Insanity**

* * *

_Insanity_

_September 1, 2013_

"When I call your name, you will come forward and I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, which will sort you into your Houses."

Professor McGonagall announced the entire Great Hall, holding up the Sorting Hat for emphasis. Louis grinned. There was almost no point in being Sorted; he knew exactly which house he was going to be placed in. To his left, his cousin Lucy was biting her nails, a habit that she resorted to when she was nervous.

"Don't get your knickers in a knot, Luce," he told her, rolling his eyes at her. She glared at him and withdrew her fingers from her mouth, brushing away some of her brown hair.

"I'm _not_ getting my knickers in a knot," she huffed angrily. "Just because _I _actually care about what house I'm sorted into..."

Louis frowned at her. "_I _care too, Lucy," he told her. "But I already know I'm going to be sorted into Gryffindor, so there's no point _me_ worrying about it."

At this, Lucy snorted rudely and shook her head. "Pfft, Gryffindor," she muttered. "Why in Merlin's name would you want to be in Gryffindor?"

"Why _wouldn't_ you?" Louis cried in shock that his cousin would even _consider _being in another house. Gryffindor; the house of the brave at heart – it was by far the most noble house.

"Courage isn't everything," she told him. "People can be brave to the point of stupidity. But knowledge? Knowledge is something precious." Her eyes glazed over a little at the thought and Louis bit back a laugh. "Beside," she continued, matter-of-factly. "Smart people live far longer than brave people."

"Well, what house do _you_ want to be in, then?" Louis asked sharply, offended that she would even dare insult Gryffindor.

"Ravenclaw, of course," she replied simply, as though there was no other option. "The house of the wise."

Louis' eyes widened at her and he shook his head. McGonagall had just called up Joshua Thomas, and he knew his name would be called soon.

"You're insane, you know," he muttered under his breath, though Lucy failed to hear him. A few moments later, Louis was made a Gryffindor and Lucy a Ravenclaw - just as they wanted. He watched his cousin skip over to join her housemates happily and shook his head. Lucy Weasley was one strange girl.

* * *

_**A/N: I find these two quite funny. Louis is arrogant and Lucy is obsessed with learning. They make quite an odd pair. It's not surprising that they don't like each other. This chapter, I think, really defines their personalities. Louis' got that carefree, devil-may-care attitude, whereas Lucy is very formal and well put-together - also a little rude. **_

_**They are both 11 in this - obviously.**_

_**Please read and review! xx**_


	35. Conditional

_**Louis/Molly**_

_**Prompt: Conditional**_

* * *

_Conditional_

_March 20, 2020_

"_Please _Molly_,_ my favourite little cousin in the world!"

He slid in beside her at the Hufflepuff table, gazing imploringly at her and batting his pretty blue eyes. He was trying to sway her with those puppy-dog eyes that he pulled on his sisters; knowing that sweet little Molly wouldn't be able to resist them.

She looked up at him and giggled, obviously trying to remain firm.

"No, Lou," she told him, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you ask Lucy to do it for you?"

Louis rolled his eyes at her and snorted. "We all know that your _lovely _sister hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Molly countered, returning to her bowl of cereal and taking a rather large spoonful. "She just doesn't think you take your studies seriously."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his blonde hair. Today, he was meant to take Charlotte Windsor to Hogsmeade. It was their first date and he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. In his excitement that the girl he had fancied for years had finally agreed to go out with him, he had forgotten that he had a three and a half foot essay due that afternoon – and he hadn't started.

He was already in McGonagall's bad books for failing his Transfiguration OWL and she had reluctantly agreed to let him take NEWT level, only if he passed every single one of his assessment items. But the date with Charlotte was too important to miss – he had been waiting for this day since fourth year. And not even the prospect of failing Transfiguration could dull this day.

"I _do_ take my studies seriously, Moll," he told her. "But it's _Charlotte_, the girl I've fancied for years! Surely, you wouldn't let your favourite cousin miss out on this grand opportunity – you're too sweet."

Molly bit her lip as she pondered his words. Louis smirked, knowing that he had won her over. He felt a little guilty, preying on his young cousin's weakness for helping people, but the date with Charlotte was worth it.

"Okay, fine," she relented with a sigh. "I'll get Rose to help me write your essay. But only on one condition."

Louis raised his eyebrows as she held up a finger.

"You have to buy me an entire box of treacle fudge from Honeydukes."

Louis grinned and shook her hand firmly. "Lovely doing business with you, Molly Weasley."

She rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully. "Oh, shush. You owe me big time, Louis."

He winked and tugged fondly on one of her red pigtails. "You know you love me, Moll."

She shook her head at him as he strolled back down the Great Hall. That boy was a worry, she thought to herself as she took a swig of her pumpkin juice.

* * *

_**A/N: Something a little light-hearted. I thought this was a difficult prompt so hopefully I did it justice. I know there's a big age difference here - and asking a third year to write a sixth year's essay is a pretty big ask. But Molly's really smart just like her sister, and she gets Rose (also freakishly smart) to help her - all for the promise of treacle fudge. What can I say? I'd probably do that too (chocolate is my kryptonite). And too be honest, Louis is too concerned with his date to worry about the quality of his Transfiguration essay. **_

_**Ages: Louis (16), Molly (13)**_

_**Reviews would be lovely :) xx**_


	36. Piggybank

_**Louis/Fred**_

_**Prompt: Piggybank**_

* * *

_Piggybank_

_October 19, 2016_

Fred frowned as he stared at the small handful of coins laying on his bed. One Galleon, seven Sickles and three Knuts. It was all he had been able to find in his room – he had searched everywhere; in the pocket of his jeans, the bottom of his Hogwarts trunk, under his bed. He'd even scoured Roxanne's room but had found nothing but a measly handful of coins. He sighed; how was he supposed to buy all those cool Hogsmeade products with _this?_

Grumbling to himself, he tipped his piggybank upside down and a small handful of coins cascaded out onto the bedspread. His entire collection now consisted of five Galleons, eleven Sickles and nine Knuts. That was all he had managed to obtain through his bets with James. It wasn't fair how _James_ always won their bets. Fred was constantly handing him money and it frustrated him.

"I hate being poor," he complained and lay back on his bed with his arms behind his head.

"Well, well, well," came a familiar voice. Fred looked up to see the smirking blonde head of Louis Weasley leaning against his doorframe. "You and James aren't planning on sneaking into Hogsmeade again, are you?"

Fred sat up immediately and fixed his older cousin with a sharp, suspicious glare. "How'd you know?" he demanded.

With a nonchalant shrug, Louis strolled lazily into the second year boy's dormitory and plopped himself down next to his cousin. He leant back on his elbows and raised one fair eyebrow as he loosened his Gryffindor tie.

"I saw James downstairs with the Marauders Map sticking out of his pocket."

The younger boy scowled and pointed one finger at Louis' chest. "So what? You going to rat us out, are you?" he threatened.

"No," Louis snorted at the idea. "I don't care what you two misfits get up to. But I know someone who does."

Fred's eyes widened in understanding and he gulped. "Victoire," he whispered, a frown slowly appearing on his face. He and James were only second years; they weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade yet. They had already gotten detention and a Howler from Ginny and Angelina the last time they were caught sneaking around Hogsmeade – Harry and George had suspiciously remained silent about the whole thing. The last thing they needed was Victoire telling on them, which was something she would definitely do now that she was Head Girl.

Louis smirked bemusedly as he watched his the realisation dawn upon his younger cousin's face.

"Well," Fred said after a while, "We'll just have to make sure Victoire doesn't see us."

"Good luck with that. You might have convinced McGonagall that you wouldn't do it again, but Victoire knows you better."

Fred grumbled darkly and rested his dark head in his hands. All he wanted was to go to Honeydukes and stock up on sweets – maybe even stop by the Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer. Was it _that_ terrible that he wasn't allowed? It's not as though he was a first year – he was the oldest kid in his year.

"Well," he sighed deeply. "What do you reckon we should do?"

Louis' blue eyes lit up with mischief and he grinned impishly. "I guess _I_ could keep Victoire busy for a few moments while you sneak out."

"You would?" Fred cried excitedly, jumping up onto his knees and beaming at his cousin. He noticed Louis' eyes flick to the pile of coins lying on his bed and frowned.

"Only for a price," he said finally.

"What price?"

He pretended to stroke an invisible beard before winking. "Five Galleons, eleven Sickles and nine Knuts."

Fred scowled at him furiously. "That's all I have!"

"Fine," Louis sighed dramatically. "Just the five Galleons then." When Fred continued to glower he raised his eyebrows. "Do you _want_ Victoire to catch you, or not? Because I could easily arrange for – "

"Alright, alright!"

Looking sour, Fred reluctantly handed over his five Galleons and stowed the rest of his pocket. With a grin, Louis pocketed the coins and slapped his younger cousin on the back.

"Cheers kiddo," he said as he left the room. "Enjoy Hogsmeade."

Fred made a rude gesture at the retreating figure of his cousin, something that he would be scolded for at home if his mother saw him. James trotted up to the dormitory shortly after, a wild grin on his face and pulled his best mate to his feet.

"Whatcha looking so down for, Freddie? We're going to Hogsmeade."

Even the thought of Hogsmeade couldn't brighten Fred's mood and he made sure he sent Louis daggers with his eyes as he passed him on the way out.

* * *

_**A/N: Okay, so Louis was a bit of a prat in this chapter - taking money from a twelve year old. But he's tricky and enjoys bribing people. We've seen two chapters where he's been able to get his younger cousins to do things for him. It's just part of his nature. **_

_**Ages: Fred (12), Louis (13)**_

_**Reviews would be lovely :) xx**_


	37. Melody

_**Louis/Roxanne**_

_**Prompt: Melody**_

* * *

_Melody_

_July 21, 2023_

The rain had no mercy on poor Louis Weasley as he hurried down the cobbled street of Diagon Alley, his cloak brought up to cover his head. His shoes splashed about on the stones and drenched the leg of his trousers, much to his annoyance. It was a dismal Friday afternoon, and he had just finished at the office, doing some paperwork for Harry, and decided to pay Fred a visit. He knew that his cousin would be working at the shop, and perhaps he wouldn't mind taking a trip down to the Cauldron for a few drinks before Louis headed home.

He quickly reached his destination and thrust open the door. The warmth of the joke shop beckoned to him invitingly, and he stepped into the brightly lit shop and took of his soaking travelling cloak. The tiny bell _dinged_ as the door clicked back into place.

"Fred?" he called, placing his cloak and briefcase on the counter. The place appeared to be empty. That was strange; Louis was positive that Fred worked on Fridays. "Freddie? You here, buddy?"

There was no reply. Frowning a little, he slicked his wet hair back and tapped his pale fingers against the countertop. Suddenly, he heard a soft melody coming from the upstairs flat. Curiosity overcame him and he ventured up the steps and into the main living space of his aunt and uncle. The pretty tune was a little louder up here, seeping out from underneath the gap between the door to Roxanne's bedroom and the wooden floorboard. Louis tentatively rapped his knuckles on the door sharply and heard his cousin suck in a breath. The melody stopped immediately.

"What do you want, Fred?" Roxanne's voice was gruff and short, and Louis chuckled a little as he pushed her door open.

"It's me, Roxie," he grinned at her. Roxanne fixed him with a frustrated glare. She was lying on her bed, flat on her stomach with a quill stuck behind her ear, struggling to hold back the curly black locks that hung around her face.

"What are you doing here, Lou?" she snapped, and quickly flipped open the large textbook that had sat untouched before her. "I'm busy."

Louis snorted. "Sure you are," he drawled sarcastically. "I can see that book has been put to excellent use."

Roxanne ignored him and kicked her legs up and down, a clear sign for him to leave. "Why are you still here?" she asked in a monotone.

"Looking for Fred. He around?"

"Dunno," she shrugged. "I don't follow my brother's every move."

Louis sighed. Sometimes, dealing with Roxanne was hard. She was fifteen, and possibly the moodiest girl he had ever come across – apart from Lucy. He remembered when she used to be such a sweet little thing, always smiling and skipping along behind Fred. Puberty had transformed her into this guarded young woman, and Louis didn't know how to handle her.

So, he tried a casual approach. "Was that you singing, before?" he asked as he leant against the doorframe.

Roxanne glowered at him. "No!" she replied forcefully. "You need to get your ears checked, Lou. There was no singing in this house."

"Right," Louis smirked and slowly entered her bedroom, stifling a chuckle at the posters of Joshua Thomas plastered about her bedroom. The girl had a terrible crush on the Puddlemere United Chaser. Louis, being said Chaser's best mate, had organised a signed photograph for Roxanne for her fifteenth birthday last month, and she had practically slept with it every night (according to Fred, anyway).

"Seriously though," he continued. "It was really pretty, that little melody. Did you come up with it yourself?"

Blushing furiously, Roxanne looked away and refused to meet his gaze.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Roxie," he said with a smile. "I think it's brilliant. You're really good. How come you've never told anyone you can sing?"

Again, the girl was silent; Louis could see tears shining in her dark eyes.

"Is it because you think people will laugh at you?" Louis knew that Roxanne was very popular at Hogwarts. Her fierce, tomboy persona and her brilliant Quidditch skills made her the best friend of most of the boys at school. He supposed that singing was something that completed contradicted her image.

"You shouldn't hide your talents from your friends," he told her. "They won't care. I reckon they'll think it's pretty cool."

Finally, Roxanne turned to face Louis, a single, solitary tear trickling down her cheek. "It's not just _them_ I'm worried about," she muttered softly.

Realisation dawned on Louis. "Your parents?" She nodded and sighed, twirling a dark ringlet around her finger. Louis felt a surge of pity for the young girl. He knew a thing or two about pressure. For years, he had to live with his father being disappointed in him because of his grades. In Roxanne's case, she didn't want to disappoint George and Angelina by ruining her perfect, Quidditch playing daughter image.

"At home, I have to be the perfect daughter, who does well at school, but because my stupid brother flunked out. At school, I have to be this tough, boyish, Quidditch superstar, just because of who my mother was. But I don't want to be either of those people!" she wailed, balling her hands into fists and sitting up with her legs crossed. "There's this creative part of me that just wants to burst out, but I have to keep it hidden. Could you imagine what the boys at school would say if they knew I was an artist? Or that I loved to sing?"

Her eyes widened and Louis gave her a small smile and patted her hand softly.

"I know exactly how you feel," he told her. "But trust me, I don't think anyone would care. You shouldn't have to pretend to be someone else just to please people. I don't know about your friends, but I definitely know that your parent's will love you no matter what."

"Yeah? But it isn't what they want me to do. Everyone expects me to end up playing professional Quidditch when I grow up. I just want to draw."

Louis sighed. If she wasn't going to listen to him, then there wasn't any point in staying. He got up to leave, when he noticed something sticking out from underneath the heavy Charms textbook Roxanne was 'studying' with. He pulled it out, ignoring her protests, and took a minute to admire it. It was a very realistic sketch of a man on a broomstick – a Quaffle stuck under his arm and his eyes fixed straight ahead. With a smirk, Louis turned to Roxanne.

"Is this Josh?" he asked with a sly grin.

Roxanne blushed darkly. "Yes."

He handed it back to her. "It's really good. But, you do know that's he's dating Daisy right? And that he's five years older than you?"

Roxanne beamed at the compliment and tucked the sketch underneath her pillow.

"So? He'll come to his senses eventually, and realise that age doesn't matter and that he's madly in love with me."

Louis rolled his eyes and headed for the door.

"And, Lou?" he turned back to see her looking sincere. "Thanks."

"Anytime, kiddo. Remind me, if I ever find the courage to propose to Charlotte – and she actually says 'yes' – I want you to sing at my wedding."

Without waiting for her to reply, he went downstairs, leaving Roxanne confused yet happy at his offer.

* * *

_**A/N: This was pretty long considering my other drabbles. Lately I have come to love Roxanne. This challenge is great, because it allows you to explore the different personalities of each of the characters, and how they would interact with each other. Poor Roxie is torn between her school image and who she really wants to be, which is hard for some people. She's at that horrible time in her life (seriously, being fifteen absolutely sucked). And this is one of those moments where we witness Louis being that great brother figure that he is. **_

_**Ages: Louis (15), Louis (19)**_

_**Reviews would be great - you know how I love them :) xx**_


	38. Stranger

_**Louis/Rose**_

_**Prompt: Stranger**_

* * *

_Stranger_

_November 4, 2017_

Louis watched curiously as his cousin, Rose, walked down the centre of the Great Hall with her arms full of books. For a first year, she was extremely dedicated. Louis couldn't remember even opening his textbooks in his first year, yet Rose was never seen without them. It baffled him a little.

"Oi, Weasley!"

The girl turned her head to see a blonde boy heading towards her. Louis frowned a little; wasn't that the Malfoy boy? He never really paid attention to the politics of his family, but he remembered Uncle Ron threatening Rose to beat that boy at every test possible. Apparently, their family and the Malfoys had a bad history. Only Aunt Hermione and Uncle Harry ever spoke kindly about them.

His confusion deepened when he noticed Rose conversing with the boy. Did she know him? Where they friends? If he knew anything about his family, he knew that Uncle Ron wouldn't be happy with her befriending the Malfoy boy. But Rose never had obeyed orders – she was as stubborn as anything.

Eventually, Rose joined the Gryffindor table and slammed her books down with a heavy _thud._ Louis took this opportunity to slide down beside her and waggled his eyebrows.

"Who's that, Rosie?" he drawled with a smirk.

He thought he saw her blush, but when she turned to face at him, her face was emotionless.

"I don't know," she replied smoothly.

Louis wasn't impressed. "I know you're lying. You're friends with the Malfoy boy, aren't you?"

She glowered at him and bent closer to him. "I told you," she snarled through gritted teeth. "I don't know who he is. He's a stranger to me."

She was lying through her teeth and Louis enjoyed this torment. He sat back on the bench and fiddled with his wand, tapping it against the edge of the table.

"Why so defensive, Rose? If you don't really know him, you wouldn't mind me asking." He winked at her. "Unless you _do_ know him. That changes things. What would James say if he knew you were friends with a _Slytherin._

"Would you shut it?" Rose snapped angrily. "Leave me alone, Louis!"

With a huff, she rose from her seat and stormed out of the Great Hall, muttering a string of curses on her way out. Louis grinned mischievously; if there was one thing he loved, it was stirring up trouble.

* * *

_**A/N: Oh, Louis... you never learn to let it go, do you? This is just a snippet of Rose's future friendship with Scorpius. I am a Rose/Scorpius shipper, but I believe Rose and Scorp had a difficult friendship. In my head cannon, they meet on the train (because Rose decides that she's not going to listen to Ron - which she does a lot.) Her, Albus and Scorp become friends, but because of the way their family will react, they decide to keep it hidden for a while and break it to them slowly. It's a complex friendship, but something I would enjoy exploring one day. **_

_**Ages: Louis (15), Rose (11).**_

_**Please read and review :) xx**_


	39. Endurance

_**Louis/Hugo**_

_**Prompt: Endurance**_

* * *

_Endurance_

_July 20, 2025_

It had always baffled Louis how Hugo Weasley had ended up in Gryffindor. His quiet, reserved temperament and his hatred of conflict made him better suited to Hufflepuff. But there was a strength and bravery in Hugo that often went unnoticed. Fred and James were brave to the point of recklessness, Rose and Victoire were brave in the way they stood up for what they believed in. Lily and Roxanne were tough and even Albus had that strong, Gryffindor spirit that defined the Weasley-Potter clan. But Hugo was different.

There were different kind of bravery. While the rest of his family paraded their bravado loud and proud, Hugo endured hardships quietly and kept his emotions to himself. And he had certainly endured his fair share of hardships.

It was Lily's wedding that made Louis realise just how brave his cousin truly was. The ceremony had been truly divine and Lily had looked beautiful, despite her being five months pregnant and heavily showing. No one had even noticed, for the pure joy in her face had made her glow with happiness. She and Lysander were dancing gracefully in the middle of the dance floor, to the soulful trill of Roxanne's voice, and the happy couple were almost oblivious to the world around them. Everyone was joining in the festivities; everyone, Louis noticed, except Hugo. He was standing by the bar, a glass of Firewhiskey in his hand as he drank himself into a stupor.

Louis approached him in concern and sat next to him, ordering himself some Firewhiskey. Hugo barely noticed his presence, and took a heavy swig of his drink.

"Steady on there, Hue," Louis joked, trying to lighten the mood with his casual humour. "You don't want to pass out before you get to dance with the bride."

Hugo looked at him blankly and pushed his glass away. His expression was solemn, almost forlorn, and Louis couldn't understand why. Hugo and Lily had always been extremely close, so he should be happy for her. It was the proudest day of her life and Hugo was acting as though it was a funeral and not a wedding.

"What's wrong with you? You look like someone just told you that Father Christmas doesn't exist."

His dark brown eyes were dull as Hugo sighed deeply. "It's more complicated than that," he replied softly.

Louis wasn't satisfied with the vague response and crossed his arms. "Come on, spit it out. What's bothering you?"

Hugo glanced behind him to see Lily and Lysander wrapped up in each other, looking blissful. His bottom lip trembled and he squeezed his hands tight. Louis noticed is reaction and frowned.

"You don't know what it feels like," Hugo began, "To see the person you love, marry someone else."

At this, Louis became even more confused. "Lily? Hugo, Lily's your cousin…"

"It's not Lily."

Realisation dawned on Louis. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hugo was in love with Lysander? He never would have guessed. The Scamander twins had always been close with Hugo, Lily and Roxanne, as they were all around the age. Lily and Lysander had been together since they were fourteen, and four years later, they were married. All that time, Hugo had dealt with his feelings for a boy that was not only straight, but in love with his cousin. A surge of pity for the boy overwhelmed Louis and he swallowed uncomfortably, not knowing what to say.

Hugo noticed his inner turmoil and smiled wryly. "Yes, you've figured it out. I'm gay. Go ahead and laugh at me."

Louis frowned. "Why would I laugh?" he asked, offended. "I don't think it's funny. I think it's horribly sad. How did you endure the pain all this time?"

The younger boy shrugged and looked away, wringing his hands together.

"Does anyone know?"

"No," Hugo shook his head. "And I'd like it to stay that way. No one can find out, especially not Lily. You can't tell anyone, okay?"

Louis nodded seriously and patted his cousin on the back for comfort. "I won't tell a soul. But I think you should tell your family. They won't care."

Hugo nodded vaguely and retrieved his Firewhiskey, downing it in one gulp. Louis sighed and left the bar to join Charlotte. No matter what anyone said, his cousin, Hugo, was the bravest man he had ever known.

* * *

_**A/N: This took me forever to write. I knew exactly what was going to happen, I just didn't know how to write it. I hope you enjoy. Poor Hugo, I think that would be terrible to endure. Also, Lily and Lysander get married very young, as Lily falls pregnant when she's 18. Please read and review! xx**_

_**Ages: Hugo (18), Louis (23).**_


	40. Tomorrow

_**Louis/James**_

_**Prompt: Tomorrow**_

_**A/N: Swearing**_

* * *

_Tomorrow_

_August 9, 2027_

The familiar ding of the bell sounded as Louis stepped inside the Leaky Cauldron, his eyes scanning the occupants for a flash of jet black hair. He soon found his cousin, sitting alone in the corner with a bottle of whiskey, taking long, slow drags.

"James?" Louis approached the table and pulled up a seat next to his cousin. James looked up and smiled wryly, putting down his bottle and shaking Louis' hand clumsily.

"Lou. Good to see you, buddy," he slurred drunkenly and Louis frowned at him.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, retrieving his wand and vanishing the whiskey. James scowled at him and shrugged.

"Few hours," he replied nonchalantly.

Louis sighed. Sometimes, there was just no reasoning with James. Instead of facing his problems head on, he preferred to drink himself into a stupor and wallow in his feelings. Louis couldn't understand how someone as brave as James was so afraid of facing his feelings.

"What did you call me here for? Should I get Fred? He's probably better suited to handling you than me."

James shook his head sadly. "Fred wouldn't come. He doesn't care about me anymore."

"Don't be daft. Of course Fred cares about you. You're his best mate. The two of you have been as thick as thieves since you were born."

"Don't act like you know anything about me," James spat, crossing his arms and staring moodily into the distance. "All you've cared about since you were fifteen was Charlotte. You've never had time for anyone else."

It was Louis' turn to scowl. "What does Charlotte have to do with this?"

James tapped his fingers against the table. "All people care about these days is getting hitched. You're married with kids, Freddie's getting hitched soon, Lily's got herself a baby and she's only nineteen! Al's got Seorise and Rose's got Scorpius. It's just me who's all alone."

"Ah, so that's it, then," Louis exclaimed, finally catching on. "You feel like everyone else has moved on with their lives and left you behind."

"No," James said stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"Don't act like a child. You were the one who just gave me the 'everyone's getting hitched' lecture!"

"FINE!" James cried angrily, slamming his fists down on the table so hard that a few elderly witched turned and stared at him in distaste. "So you're right! I _do_ feel lonely! I feel so fucking lonely all the time. No one has time for me anymore! They're all so busy living their _perfect, happy couple lives_ to give a damn about poor, _single_ James Potter. Even Freddie, my own fucking best mate decides to ditch me on the night before I leave for Romania because it's Emily's birthday and he had already prepared something _special!_" his voice rose ridiculously high and he screwed up his face as he imitated Fred. The venom in his words was toxic and Louis was quite glad there was a table between the two of them. James' fists were flying everywhere and he had to duck several times to avoid a punch in the head.

"I'm so fucking _sick _of being forgotten about!" He sunk back down into his chair and took deep, heavy breaths. Louis stared at his cousin with wide eyes. He'd never have thought that James was feeling all of this. To hear James confess his feelings so helplessly, as though he had kept it bottled up inside him for years, was a little disconcerting and Louis felt immense pity for him.

"You're moving to Romania?" he asked after James had settled down a little.

"Tomorrow," James retorted bitterly. "Seeing as no one gives a damn about me here, I thought I'd try my luck in another country. Uncle Charlie's set me up with an internship, to work with the Dragons."

Louis smiled at him. "That's great, mate. Congratulations!" he reached over and slapped his cousin on the back. "But why didn't you tell me?"

James shrugged. "Didn't think you'd care."

"Why wouldn't I care?" Louis asked, a little offended. "That's an amazing opportunity. Imagine the things you'll see? Real _Dragons!_ That's bloody fantastic. And the _girls, _James. _Romanian girls!_"

A small smirk crept onto James' face and Louis knew he'd won his case. "Yeah, I'm pretty stoked," he admitted.

"Don't worry about Fred, alright," Louis told him wisely. "I bet you anything he'll come around tomorrow to say goodbye. He's _your_ best mate, but you're _his_ too, alright."

James snorted. "Since when is Louis Weasley the advice giver? I thought that was Teddy's job."

Louis laughed. "Well someone's got to knock some sense into you. Besides, when you've got two kids under the age of three, you learn a thing or two about growing up. You'll see what I mean someday."

"Yeah," James nodded vaguely. The two of them sat in silence for a while, before James suddenly brightened up. "Want to get a drink?"

"Well, Charlotte said not to be out too late..." he began, but when he noticed his cousin's expression, he grinned impishly. "But a drink won't hurt."

"Or five," James added and the two of them roared with laughter. There was hope for James yet, Louis thought to himself. Maybe, tomorrow when he would leave for Romania, he would find what he was searching for... and find himself along the way.

* * *

_**A/N: I really don't know why this became so angsty. I just started writing and all of a sudden, angsty James appeared. Poor James, you're never alone! You'll always be in my heart! **_

_**Ages: Louis (24), James (22)**_

_**Please leave behind a review :) xx**_


	41. Storm

_**Louis/Albus**_

_**Prompt: Storm**_

* * *

_Storm_

_October 11, 2017_

A raging storm blew about the grounds, forcing the students to retreat indoors to the shelter of their Common Rooms. Because of this, the Gryffindor Common Room was completely packed with students from every year level, and the noise was horrendous. Trap fifty or so teenagers in a confined space for more than a few hours, and hell was bound to break lose. It was as though they had eaten far too many sweets from Honeydukes, and nowhere was safe from the ruckus.

Louis Weasley was annoyed. Normally, he would have thrilled for such an occasion, using this time to rile up his housemates and annoy Josh and Daisy; who were currently entwined on the large armchair, snogging away obliviously. But he had recently been coming down with the flu, and the amplified chatter of the Common Room did nothing to soothe his pounding head.

With a groan, he rose from his seat in front of the fire, and traipsed up the stairs to his dormitory, rubbing his temples as he did so. The fifth year boy's dormitory was empty, so Louis shut the door and flopped unceremoniously onto his four poster bed. He buried his head underneath the pillow in an attempt to drown out the sound, and soon, he felt his body shut down and he drifted to sleep.

What seemed like only seconds after he had closed his eyes, a loud clap of thunder rumbled through the building, shaking the foundations and reverberating off the walls. Louis jumped in shock and hit his head on one of the posts, causing him to swear loudly. Screams of terror erupted from down below and Louis was grateful that he wasn't down there. As the panic subsided, Louis fell back onto his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to dull his searing headache.

The door creaked open and he lifted his head slightly to see the silhouette of his cousin, Albus, standing in the doorway. His hands were in his pockets and his green eyes were fixed to the floor.

"Al?" Louis asked, groggily. "What do you want?"

The younger boy took a few tentative steps inside his cousins' dormitory. "I just – erm – " he stuttered.

Louis smirked in spite of himself. "You're scared of the thunder, aren't you?" he taunted.

Albus shook his head furiously. "No!" he insisted. "I'm not scared!"

When Louis raised his fair eyebrows at his younger cousin, Albus folded his arms stubbornly. "I'm _not_ scared!" he repeated. "I just... wanted to get away from all the noise." His voice trailed off softly and Louis chuckled at him.

"Whatever you say, Al." He laid his head back down and put his arms behind his neck, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

"So, is it alright if I stay here for a while?" Al asked meekly.

Louis grunted a "Yes" in response and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. Albus smiled and went to sit on the edge of Josh's bed, next to Louis'.

Another rumble of thunder echoed through Gryffindor Tower and Albus gave a small shriek and scurried over to his cousin's bed, leaping up onto the mattress. Louis opened one eye to see Albus perched on the end of his bed, his knees drawn up and his chin resting on top of them. He laughed and sat up.

"C'mon, Al. Don't be a baby. It's just thunder."

Albus glared at him, before another thunder clap made him shrink closer to the mattress.

Louis rolled his eyes and sighed. He patted the spot next to him and Albus slowly crawled up beside him.

"No snuggling," Louis warned him. "I'm not Victoire. You will lie on your side of the bed and I will lie on mine. Got it?"

Albus nodded and curled up onto his side. With a small smile, Louis ruffled his hair, making it stick up at odd angles. Sometimes, Louis forgot that Al was only eleven. He seemed so much more mature than James, or even himself, had been at that age. He supposed everyone was afraid of something.

"You won't tell James, will you?"

Louis smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I can't make any promises. Maybe I'll need something to persuade me to keep my mouth shut."

Albus frowned. "What do you want?"

"I don't know yet," Louis grinned wickedly. "But I'll let you know."

* * *

_**A/N: This was a bit difficult to write, again, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I wanted something that showed how Louis can be a brother figure, but still be annoying and stir up his cousins at the same time. Hopefully I achieved that. And little Al is a cutie :)**_

_**Ages: Louis (15), Albus (11). **_

_**Please read and review :) xx**_


	42. Underneath

_**Louis/Lily**_

_**Prompt: Underneath**_

* * *

_Underneath_

"_There's more to you than meets the eye, Louis Weasley. Underneath all those good looks and bravado is an insecure, little boy who just wants to be loved."_

Louis could remember when Charlotte had first uttered those words to him. He was fifteen and an arrogant git, without a care in the world. Gifted with his mother's good looks and his father's charm, Louis had everything a fifteen year old boy could hope for; intelligence, wit and a gaggle of girls swooning after him. But the consequence of all his good fortune was a swelling ego. Because of this, no one ever took him seriously. It wasn't until he had failed his Transfiguration OWL and been threatened to move out of home by his father, that he finally smartened up. For he was smart; he just needed to apply himself.

...

"_There's more to you than meets the eyes, Lily Potter. Underneath the fame and bravado is an insecure, little girl who just wants to be loved."_

Lily could remember when Lysander had first uttered those words to her. She was fifteen and as tough as nails, without a care in the world. Gifted with her mother's fiery temperament and her father's courage, Lily had everything a fifteen year old girl could hope for; intelligence, wit and a gaggle of friends falling after her. But the consequence of all her fame was immaturity. Because of this, no one ever took her seriously. It wasn't until she fell in love with Lysander Scamander and fell pregnant at eighteen that she finally grew up. For she was mature, she just needed to be treated like it.

...

The two cousins were probably as far apart as any cousins could be. They hardly interacted with each other, for he was five years older than her and had no interest in his baby cousin, and she was too busy being molly-coddled to pay attention to her older, arrogant cousin. But the people dear to them knew how similar they actually were. They both wore masks to cover up their insecurities. They were both loud personalities to cover up their shyness. And underneath their skin, were a sensitive little boy and a sweet little girl, who both wanted nothing more than to be loved.

* * *

_**A/N: I decided to try a different style for this one, the prompt was difficult, as I'm finding that they all are becoming, and it took me a while to figure out how I was going to write this. I decided to do a comparison, just to change things up. I hope you enjoyed! Please drop me a review on your way out :) xx**_


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